A day after Pakistan Defense Minister Khwaja Asif declared the 1972 Shimla Agreement as a dead document, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement separating the government from the minister’s comments. The Foreign Office clarified that no formal decision has been taken to cancel any bilateral agreement with India, including the historic Shimla Agreement. A senior official confirmed that all the treaties, including the Shimla Agreement, are in operation despite the internal discussions that began with recent developments.
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Asif’s disputed statement
In a television interview, Defense Minister Asif claimed that the Shimla Agreement has become obsolete due to India’s unilateral action, especially the cancellation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that we have returned to 1948, when the United Nations declared the Line of Control (LoC) as a ceasefire. “Asif also questioned the viability of other agreements such as the Indus Water Treaty, suggesting that” Shimla has already ended. His comment has come amid growing tension between India and Pakistan, which erupted after the Pahalgam terror attack in April and then Indian military attacks in May. While Pakistan had earlier indicated the possibility of reviewing the Shimla Agreement, Asif’s remarks marked more significant changes in the tone.
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Ministry of External Affairs took steps
In response, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that no formal steps have been taken to end the existing agreements. The official statement reiterated that the Shimla Agreement and other bilateral agreements would be effective, and any decision on these treaties would be taken according to the official procedures.
Shimla Agreement and its importance
The Shimla Agreement signed in 1972 after the Indo-Pak war laid the foundation to resolve disputes between the two countries through peaceful bilateral talks. Despite the current tension in relations, India maintains the principles mentioned in the agreement. Asif’s comments indicated a possible departure from this structure, advocating a multilateral approach to resolve the Kashmir disputes.