World’s youngest Nobel laureate and Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai was among the rational voices to urge for peace between India and Pakistan, amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
“I ask the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan and the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to show true leadership in this difficult time: to sit down, shake hands and settle the current conflict and long-standing issue of Kashmir through dialogue,” she tweeted on Wednesday, 27 February with the hashtag #SayNoToWar.
Twelve days after the Pulwama terror attack which killed 40 CRPF jawans, on 26 February, the Indian Air Force crossed the LoC and launched a 1,000 kg bomb on alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps in Balakot, in KPK. Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility of the earlier terror attack. The Indian government called the air strikes a ‘preemptive non-military airstrike’. Pakistan government called it an ‘act of aggression’ and retaliated by capturing an Indian Air Force pilot on 27 February.
With tensions already escalating between the two countries, there have been a few news channel anchors, social media warriors, and other voices from either side of the border egging for a war.
Amid all this warmongering and fear, a few prudent voices on both sides of the border have called for peace and urged for a de-escalation of the situation with the hashtag #SayNoToWar.
Will good sense prevail on the leaders of the two countries and prevent more bloodshed? Let’s pray so.
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