Pakistan suspends 1972 Simla Agreement after Pahalgam attack: What is it and what will be its impact on LoC

Pakistan on Thursday announced the suspension of the historic 1972 Simla Agreement, a landmark peace accord forged in the aftermath of the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war.

In a dramatic diplomatic retaliation, Pakistan on Thursday announced the suspension of the historic 1972 Simla Agreement, a landmark peace accord forged in the aftermath of the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war. The move came as a response to India’s stringent measures following the Pahalgam terror attack, that claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.

What was the Simla Agreement?

Signed on July 2, 1972, in the serene hills of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, the Simla Agreement was a diplomatic cornerstone that sought to chart a path toward reconciliation after one of the subcontinent’s bloodiest conflicts—the 1971 war that led to the birth of Bangladesh from what was once East Pakistan.

The treaty bore the signatures of two political titans of the era—Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India and President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan. It was a calculated effort to halt hostilities and reframe Indo-Pak relations around peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.

The Simla Agreement laid the groundwork for decades of tentative diplomacy with principles focused on resolving disputes bilaterally and respecting the territorial integrity of each nation.

What did the agreement say?

"The Government of India and the Government of Pakistan are resolved that the two countries put an end to the conflict and confrontation that have hitherto marred their relations and work for the promotion of a friendly and harmonious relationship and the establishment of durable peace in the sub-continent, so that both countries may henceforth devote their resources and energies to the pressing task of advancing the welfare of their peoples," the official statement read.

Key agreements:

That the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations shall govern the relations between the two countries.

That the two countries are resolved to settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations or by any other peaceful means mutually agreed upon between them.

Pending the final settlement of any of the problems between the two countries, neither side shall unilaterally alter the situation and both shall prevent the organisation, assistance or encouragement of any acts detrimental to the maintenance of peaceful and harmonious relations.

That the pre-requisite for reconciliation, good neighbourliness and durable peace between them is a commitment by both the countries to peaceful co-existence, respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.

That the basic issues and causes of conflict which have bedevilled the relations between the two countries for the last 25 years shall be resolved by peaceful means.

That they shall always respect each other's national unity, territorial integrity, political independence and sovereign equality.

That in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations they will refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of each other.