ISLAMABAD – People belonging to different sections of society in India haveappealed to the governments of India and Pakistan to refrain fromhostilities and resolve their differences peacefully within the frameworkof international law and human rights regulations.

According to the Indian daily ‘The Hindu’, an appeal to de-escalate thetension has been made by more than six hundred Indians including students,teachers, economists, journalists, lawyers, industrialists, writers,actors, choreographers, photographers, physicists, homemakers, retiredbureaucrats, diplomats and judges.

Voicing concern over the recent escalation in tensions, they said India’sresponse to Pulwama incident must be in consonance with the internationallaw in letter and spirit.

They noted that even a limited confrontation between the two countrieswould resolve nothing, neither tensions nor the Kashmir dispute. On thecontrary, it would aggravate tensions and delay the process of conflictresolution.

The Indians admitted that the principal victims of this conflict are thecivilian residents of Kashmir, who have endured immense suffering over theyears, including gross human rights violations.

In recent days, Kashmiris have also been a target of brutal attacks acrossthe country. If the conflict intensifies, this hostility is likely to beextended to other minorities and dissidents.