Kailash Satyarthi asks Modi, Imran to create trust to uproot terrorism; Malala also urges peace but raises Kashmir

Satyarthi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan to create an atmosphere of trust and transparency, and work together to uproot terrorism.

Nobel Peace Prize winners Kailash Satyarthi (L) and Malala Yousafzai attend the opening of the Nobel Peace Prize exhibition at the Nobel Peace Center on December 11, 2014. AFP PHOTO / POOL / FREDRIK VARFJELL (Photo by Fredrik Varfjell / POOL / AFP)

New Delhi: Nobel laureates Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai have asked India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, as the two countries face heightened tensions. They urged both Narendra Modi and Imran Khan to work together to resolve conflicts. However, in her statement Yousafzai raised the Kashmir issue. Satyarthi, who was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai in 2014, appealed to India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, amid the escalating tensions between the two nations following the February 14 suicide bombing in Pulwama in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. Satyarthi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan to create an atmosphere of trust and transparency, and work together to uproot terrorism. "For the safety, security and wellbeing of all our children, I appeal to the governments of India and Pakistan to exercise restraint. I urge PM Modi and PM Khan to create an atmosphere of trust and transparency, and work together to uproot terrorism in all earnestness," Satyarthi was quoted as saying in an official statement. The child rights activist also appealed to spiritual leaders, media, the youth of both the countries to work with their governments in restoring peace. "I reiterate that terrorism in any part of the world is a threat for all of humanity. Our children have the right to grow up in peace," he said. While, Pakistan’s Malala who is the UN Messenger of Peace said in a statement “I am alarmed by the escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan and concerned for people living on both sides of the border.” “Everyone aware of the horrors of war would agree that retaliation and revenge is never the right response once started, it rarely ends. Millions of people are suffering today because of existing wars we don’t need another. Our world cannot even care for all the people currently in peril.” “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 longstanding issue of Kashmir through dialogue. I ask the international community to support talks between India and Pakistan and to help prevent loss of lives and homes” she said mentioning Kashmir.

#SayNoToWar pic.twitter.com/yNfRIh5jRw

— Malala (@Malala) February 27, 2019

Citizens of both countries know that the true enemies are terrorism, poverty, illiteracy and health crises not each other, she said. On February 14, a suicide bomber attacked a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, killing 40 soldiers. India struck a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Pakistan on February 26. The next day, tensions escalated with an Indian pilot being captured by Pakistan as both the countries claimed to have down each other's aircraft.