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Pakistan Declares Simla Agreement ‘Dead’, Terms LoC a Ceasefire Line

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has termed the Simla Agreement invalid, reverting to a 1948 stance on Kashmir and urging multilateral or international intervention as bilateral talks with India collapse

Pakistan Declares Simla Agreement ‘Dead’, Terms LoC a Ceasefire Line

Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has declared the 1972 Simla Agreement “a dead document,” signalling a shift towards a multilateral approach to the Kashmir issue and a departure from decades of bilateral engagement with India. Pakistan no longer considers the bilateral framework with India viable and “going forward, these disputes will be dealt with multilaterally or internationally,” Asif stated, citing deteriorated relations.

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In a televised interview on Wednesday, Asif asserted that Pakistan had effectively reverted to its 1948 stance on Kashmir, with the Line of Control (LoC) functioning as a ceasefire line rather than a recognised boundary.

The statement comes amid rising tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, as well as military skirmishes along the Line of Control and International Border last month, following India’s launch of Operation Sindoor in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Asif also questioned the viability of other long-standing agreements with India, stating, “Whether the Indus Waters Treaty is suspended or not, Simla is already over.”

In his speech, Asif stated that the bilateral framework between India and Pakistan had collapsed. “The Simla Agreement is no longer valid. We have returned to the 1948 situation, when the United Nations declared the LoC a ceasefire line following the ceasefire and resolutions,” he added. He concluded, “Going forward, these disputes will be dealt with multilaterally or internationally.”

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Asif also addressed Pakistan’s nuclear posture, stating that the country remains on high alert. He clarified that nuclear weapons would be considered only if Pakistan faced a “direct threat” to its existence.

Simla Agreement

The Simla Agreement was a historic peace treaty signed between India and Pakistan on July 2, 1972, in the city of Shimla (then Simla), Himachal Pradesh, India.

It was signed by the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, and Pakistan’s President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

The agreement came in the immediate aftermath of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, which resulted in a decisive victory for India, the dismemberment of Pakistan and the creation of an independent Bangladesh. The war had also led to the capture of over 90,000 Pakistani soldiers by India, the largest number of prisoners of war since World War II.

The primary objective of the Simla Agreement was to lay down the framework for establishing lasting peace and normalising relations between the two countries. Both nations agreed to resolve all outstanding disputes, including the contentious Kashmir issue, through bilateral negotiations without resorting to force or third-party intervention.

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This point has remained a significant cornerstone of India’s foreign policy, as it has consistently opposed any international mediation in its disputes with Pakistan, particularly on Kashmir, citing the Simla Agreement as the basis for bilateral dialogue.

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