Mehbooba Mufti Welcomes Iran-US Truce, Urges India-Pakistan Dialogue

Srinagar: Calling the Iran-US ceasefire a “happy day for everyone,” PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti welcomed the truce as a positive step and pressed India and Pakistan to seize the moment for dialogue.  

Mufti praised Iran for adhering to wartime norms by striking only military installations, while accusing the US and Israel of targeting civilians.

“We hope this temporary ceasefire becomes permanent. India and Pakistan should also sit together and resolve their disputes,” she told reporters in Srinagar.

The ceasefire announcement sparked jubilation across the valley as in Srinagar’s Saidakadal and Zadibal areas, and in Budgam, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Pulwama, and Bandipora districts, residents waved Iranian flags, burst firecrackers, and distributed Kashmiri Kahwa.

Members of the Shia community described the truce as Iran’s “victory” over the US and Israel. “They forced America and Israel to surrender. Today we are celebrating this victory,” said a Budgam resident.

The celebrations echoed earlier fundraising drives in Kashmir, underscoring the valley’s cultural and religious ties with Iran—often referred to as Iran-e-Saghir (Little Iran).

Meanwhile, JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra called it “a prudent and timely step” toward restoring stability in a fragile global environment. He urged the international community to transform the pause into a structured peace process rooted in sovereignty and dignity.

Karra drew a historical parallel, likening the 40-day confrontation to the Battle of Khaybar in 628 AD, which symbolized endurance and strategic patience. “Restraint, backed by resolve, ultimately shapes the pathway to peace,” he said.