Veteran actress Soni Razdan, Alia Bhatt’s mother, has publicly expressed her support for peace amid the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan. Taking to her official Instagram account on Friday (May 9), Razdan amplified a petition titled “India, Pakistan: Stop the Hostilities,” urging both nations to halt aggression and seek a path toward peaceful resolution.
In a brief message, Razdan wrote, “Above all – PEACE. Sign the petition. Link in bio.” The post was shared with comments disabled, a move likely intended to maintain decorum and prevent inflammatory discourse on a sensitive issue.
The petition, circulated by peace activists and concerned citizens, calls upon the governments of India and Pakistan to cease all hostilities and prioritise dialogue over conflict. At the time of publishing this article, the petition had garnered 4,346 signatures.
Razdan was born to Gertrude Hoelzer, a British woman of German ancestry, and Narendra Nath Razdan, a Kashmiri Pandit.
The petition read, “We, peace activists from India, Pakistan and elsewhere, categorically condemn every form of violent extremism and terrorism. We particularly condemn the targeting of unarmed civilians, for any reason, including as a means to achieve political ends. This cycle must end for peace to prevail. Communal and faith-based politics feeding frenzy on both sides, amplified by media and social media, gives the illusion of a consensus for war.”
It further mentioned, “India and Pakistan must behave responsibly. Any war between these two nuclear-armed nations would be disastrous. As history shows, it is ordinary citizens who suffer the most in conflict, especially women, children, minorities, the elderly, and other vulnerable communities forced to prove their patriotism. We therefore urge the people of India and Pakistan to hold their governments accountable and resist any speech or action that feeds war hysteria.”
India-Pakistan tensions
The conflict between India and Pakistan began following a deadly terror attack in the Pahalgam region of Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 individuals.
Following this, India launched Operation Sindoor, where the Indian armed forces targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday.
Post this, on May 8, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian cities and military bases, however, the missiles were neutralised mid-air, preventing any loss of life or infrastructure damage.
