A day after India rolled out a series of strong measures against Pakistan in retaliation to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Islamabad on Thursday responded by stating that it may suspend all bilateral agreements with India — including the historic Simla Agreement.
The Simla Agreement, signed on July 2, 1972, by Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, followed the conclusion of the 1971 India-Pakistan War and was regarded as a key diplomatic milestone aimed at fostering peace and cooperation between the two countries.
In a statement, the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office said: “Pakistan shall exercise the right to hold all bilateral agreements with India, including but not limited to Simla Agreement in abeyance, till India desists from its manifested behaviour of fomenting terrorism inside Pakistan; trans-national killings, and non-adherence to international law and UN Resolutions on Kashmir.”
The Simla Agreement
In an effort to move past the conflict, the Simla Agreement was signed. It stressed upon peaceful coexistence and mutual respect for sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity. Both countries agreed to resolve disputes through peaceful means and refrain from unilaterally altering the status quo — particularly regarding the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
The agreement also laid the groundwork for restoring communication links and preventing hostile acts that could disturb peace between the two nations.
Now, with Pakistan signalling its intent to put the agreement on hold, diplomatic ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours have hit a new low.
