Pakistan says Simla Agreement not relevant due to India’s actions

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the Simla Agreement, signed in 1972 to define the Kashmir border after the 1971 war, has lost its importance and effectiveness because of India’s unilateral moves.

In an interview with Geo News, Asif said the actual border in Kashmir — the Line of Control — could become just a ceasefire line without a bilateral agreement between Pakistan and India.

He stressed that the rising tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi have made the Simla Agreement meaningless.

Asif emphasized that all decisions related to the agreement require mutual consent, and India cannot suspend the Indus Waters Treaty on its own.

The Simla Agreement originally set the Line of Control, dividing Kashmir into Indian- and Pakistani-controlled areas.

The recent conflict began after India launched missile strikes on Pakistani territory and Pakistan-controlled Azad Kashmir on May 6, following a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam area on April 22, which killed 26 people.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the military strikes “Operation Sindoor,” describing it as a “moment of pride.” The term “Sindoor” refers to the red powder married Hindu women wear on their foreheads.

The two countries agreed to a ceasefire on May 10 with the help of US mediation.

Pakistan remains firm on its stance and expresses the need for mutual respect and dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue.

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