Claim
61 Indians (including Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Manoj Jha, journalists and lawyers) and 57 Pakistanis jointly wrote a letter to the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan urging resumption of dialogue, diplomatic ties, visas, sports, cultural exchange, border trade and bus services.
“भारत के 61 लोग जिसमें उमर अब्दुल्लाह, महबूबा मुफ्ती, मनोज झा... शामिल हैं। और 57 पाकिस्तानी हैं। 61 + 57 मिलकर दोनों... देशों के प्रधानमंत्री को एक लेटर लिखते हैं।”▶ Watch source segment
Rationale
The underlying event is real: 61 Indians and ~55 Pakistanis jointly signed a June 30, 2026 open letter to PMs Modi and Sharif urging resumption of dialogue, restoration of diplomatic ties and high commissioners, visas, trade via Attari-Wagah, bus/rail links, and cultural/religious exchanges — matching most of the anchor's substance, including Mehbooba Mufti and Manoj Jha as signatories. However, two specific facts are wrong: the letter was signed by 55 (some reports 56) Pakistanis, not 57; and the Abdullah who signed was Farooq Abdullah, not Omar Abdullah (Omar, the current CM, only voiced support separately). Because the core claim is substantially true but misstates the Pakistani count and names the wrong Abdullah, the statement is misleading rather than fully accurate.
Evidence
- https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/revive-bilateral-dialogue-restore-normal-ties-politicians-former-diplomats-from-india-pakistan-urge-both-govts/ Tribune reports the June 30 open letter was signed by 61 Indians and 55 Pakistanis (116 total), coordinated by OP Shah's Centre for Peace and Progress; signatory is Farooq Abdullah, not Omar Abdullah. Demands include restoring diplomatic ties, high commissioners, visas, Attari-Wagah trade, Delhi-Lahore and Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus services, and cultural/religious exchanges. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://swarajyamag.com/amp/story/news-brief/over-117-indian-and-pakistani-leaders-urged-modi-and-sharif-to-restart-bilateral-dialogue Corroborates the letter to PMs Modi and Sharif urging resumption of bilateral dialogue, signed by Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Manoj Jha, AS Dulat, Mani Shankar Aiyar and others. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://kashmirobserver.net/2026/07/02/cm-omar-backs-india-pakistan-dialogue-to-improve-ties/ Shows Omar Abdullah (the sitting J&K CM) separately backed India-Pakistan dialogue but was NOT a signatory of the letter — the signatory was his father Farooq Abdullah, indicating the anchor misattributed the name. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://hindi.oneindia.com/news/international/former-raw-chief-manishankar-aiyar-117-dignitaries-write-letter-to-pm-modi-pakistan-pm-shehbaz-1599639.html Hindi coverage citing 117 signatories (61 Indian + 56 Pakistani), consistent with the letter but not with the '57 Pakistanis' figure. ✓ reachable · archived