Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the Simla Agreement between Pakistan and India is no longer valid after India violated the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). This violation came after worsening relations between the two countries following the April 22 attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan in response has suspended all bilateral agreements with India including the Simla Agreement, closed the Wagah border and halted trade.
The Simla Agreement was signed in 1972 by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Indira Gandhi after the 1971 war. It aimed to resolve issues peacefully, avoid unilateral actions and establish the Line of Control (LoC) based on the old ceasefire line. However Khawaja Asif said that India’s recent steps especially suspending the IWT and revoking Article 370 in Kashmir in 2019 have destroyed the purpose of the agreement. He said if India can break the treaty then Pakistan can consider the Simla Agreement void too.
Khawaja Asif also suggested that without the agreement the LoC might return to being a ceasefire line as per the UN resolution of 1948. Although no formal cancellation of the agreement has been announced yet, a Foreign Office official confirmed that Pakistan is reviewing all bilateral deals due to India’s actions.
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