BHUBANESWAR: Two siblings from Odisha’s Sambalpur district have written a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, appealing him to work for bridging the gap and ensuring peace and harmony between the two countries. This follows the letter by an 11-year-old Pakistani girl Aqeedat Naveeds to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the same lines. The letter written to Mr Sharif by the siblings — Ayush Ranjan Rout (10) and Aadyasha Priyadarshani Rout (6) — thanked Aqueedat for writing the letter to Mr Modi for peace between the two neighbouring countries.

“Sister Aqeedat highlighted the need for peace between India and Pakistan. We are also saying same thing to you to take a good step for a peace bridge between India and Pakistan. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taki-ng all necessary steps for peace between the two countries,” the duo wrote. “We request you to join hands to make a good peace bridge so that children of both countries live happily and peacefully. The governments should buy books, not bullets. Both countries should resolve that they will not buy guns, but will provide free medicines to ailing people,” the letter added.

The siblings hail from Kudanali village in Sambalpur district. While Ayush is studying in Class V, Aadyasha is in Class II at Saraswati Sishu Mandir in Chhendipada of Angul district. “My children came to know about Aqeedat Naveed’s letter to the Prime Minister through newspapers. They got inspired by the gesture and asked me to pen a letter to Modi’s Pakistani counterpart,” father of the siblings, Saroj Kumar Rout, told the media.

The Odisha siblings had earlier drawn the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a letter highlighting the plights of the villagers in the absence of a bridge over a nullah in their village. The petition was taken up and a bridge was sanctioned which will be constructed soon.