In the last three days, the civil and military leadership in Pakistan as well as the leading voices in the civil society and the media have consistently called for restraint. On Thursday, Prime Minister Imran Khan demonstrated that Pakistan doesn’t just talk about restraint and the need for peace but that it has the will to walk the talk too. PM announced that Pakistan will be releasing the captured Indian Airforce (IAF) pilot on Friday (today). After the announcement, Indian authorities have no reason to doubt Pakistan’s sincerity in its appeals to work together and root out terrorism from the region. At this stage, no more time should be wasted and a back channel must be established to pave the way for de-escalation, and an eventual dialogue between the two sides covering all issues of concern. While the Hindutva brigade in the Bharatiya Jannata Party (BJP) and hawkish elements within the Indian establishment have endangered the lives of over a billion people for their vested interests, the more rational voices in the establishment, political parties and media must not sit quietly now. Indian media have been continuing on the dangerous trajectory ever since war hysteria has gripped the region. On Thursday, jingoists in the Indian media even tried to twist Pakistan’s goodwill gesture and portray it as capitulation. The saner voices across the border need to speak up against this state of affairs. We cannot afford this aggressive posturing by jingoist media professionals to go on like this. They are stoking passions where they should be speaking with reason and representing the silent majority that has nothing to gain from the war. At this juncture, Pakistan must step up its efforts on the diplomatic front. The Pakistani leadership has exhibited great restraint; our Foreign Ministry has been raising the issue and clarifying Pakistan’s commitment to peace in talks with our allies in the region and globally. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi must ensure that these efforts continue on an expedited pace so that New Delhi can be pushed to the negotiating table. Pakistani civil society has also demonstrated its commitment to peace with rallies held in three major cities of the country on Thursday. Similar steps are now needed across the border, and progressives must take the lead and come out in the open to oppose those who’re pushing the region on a path of destruction. * Published in Daily Times, March 1st 2019.