Ansar M Bhatti
ISLAMABAD –: In a major policy shift, Defence Minister of Pakistan has announced that the country is officially withdrawing from the historic Shimla Agreement signed with India in 1972. Speaking at a press conference, the minister declared that the Line of Control (LoC) will now be treated as a “ceasefire line” instead of a mutually recognized boundary under the bilateral accord.
“The Shimla Agreement has lost its relevance due to India’s continued violations and unilateral actions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK),” the Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated. “As of today, Pakistan no longer considers itself bound by its provisions.”
The Shimla Agreement, signed in the aftermath of the 1971 war, was intended to establish a framework for peaceful resolution of disputes between the two countries, including the status of Jammu and Kashmir. It also called for bilateralism, discouraging third-party involvement in regional matters.
By declaring the LoC as a ceasefire line, Pakistan appears to be signaling a return to the pre-Shimla status, where Kashmir was considered an unresolved international dispute under the purview of the United Nations. The Defence Minister emphasized that Pakistan will now reassert its position based on UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.
The announcement is likely to have far-reaching diplomatic and security implications for South Asia. It comes amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and India following recent escalations along the LoC and India’s 2019 revocation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Analysts see the move as a sign of growing frustration in Islamabad over what it perceives as India’s intransigence and the international community’s silence on human rights abuses in IIOJK.
The Defence Minister clarified that Pakistan remains committed to peace but will no longer allow past agreements to be used as tools to freeze progress on the Kashmir dispute. “This decision reflects the changing realities on the ground and Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination,” he added.
Indian officials have yet to issue an official response, but the development is expected to stir debate in diplomatic circles and could prompt calls for renewed international engagement on Kashmir.
Observers note that Pakistan’s withdrawal from the Shimla Agreement marks a historic break from decades of bilateral diplomacy, potentially opening the door for greater internationalization of the Kashmir issue.
