Islamabad: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that the Simla Agreement no longer holds any validity, and the Line of Control has now effectively become a ceasefire line.
While speaking to Geo News, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that the Simla Agreement was a bilateral accord between two countries, with no involvement from the World Bank or any third party. Without the Simla Agreement, the Line of Control reverts to its original status as the ceasefire line.
The Federal Minister said that following the developments after 1948 regarding the planned referendum, the demarcation was considered a ceasefire line. Due to India’s actions, the Simla Agreement has effectively lost its significance. He added that after the war, the agreement’s value diminished, and now the situation is reverting to the 1948 status, where it was simply a ceasefire line. He emphasized that Pakistan had made it clear during heightened tensions that if such actions continued, existing agreements would lose their relevance.
Khawaja Asif further stated that no party to the Indus Waters Treaty can unilaterally withdraw from it. All measures under the treaty must be taken jointly. He noted that India intermittently releases between 6,000 and 25,000 cusecs of water and stressed that India cannot obstruct the water flow at its discretion.
It is worth noting that the Simla Agreement was signed between Pakistan and India in 1972, with both parties agreeing to resolve all issues, including the Kashmir dispute, through bilateral dialogue.