In response to India’s diplomatic actions—such as revoking Pakistani visas and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty—Pakistan implemented reciprocal measures, including suspending trade, canceling Indian visas, and closing its airspace to Indian aircraft. Pakistan also warned that any attempt to divert river flows would be considered an act of war. Are we prepared for this ?
Simla Agreement Was Already Dead — Pakistan Just Gave It a Formal Burial
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The Simla Agreement of 1972 has long outlived its utility. Meant to serve as the cornerstone of peaceful bilateral engagement between India and Pakistan, it now exists only as a diplomatic relic. Pakistan’s recent conduct is not a suspension of the agreement—it is merely the formal burial of a pact that had already become a dead letter.
The agreement committed both nations to resolving all disputes, including Kashmir, through bilateral negotiations, shunning third-party mediation or international forums such as the United Nations. However, Pakistan has honoured the Simla Agreement more in breach than in observance. It has persistently internationalised the Kashmir issue, especially at forums of Islamic nations, undermining the core tenet of bilateralism.
When the two countries are no longer on speaking terms, the difference between bilateral and multilateral engagement becomes irrelevant. Whether the issues are raised directly or through a third party, the breakdown of trust renders the formality of the Simla framework moot.
What was once intended to foster peaceful dialogue has been overwhelmed by recurring tensions, cross-border hostilities, and diplomatic impasses. In today’s strategic climate, where contact is minimal and acrimony is maximal, the Simla Agreement’s distinctions and protocols carry little real-world weight.
Ultimately, the agreement’s failure to prevent conflict and confrontation exposes its inherent limitations. The current state of Indo-Pak relations serves as a harsh indictment of the agreement’s efficacy in maintaining peace or even sustaining dialogue.
In response to India’s diplomatic actions—such as revoking Pakistani visas and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty—Pakistan implemented reciprocal measures, including suspending trade, canceling Indian visas, and closing its airspace to Indian aircraft. Pakistan also warned that any attempt to divert river flows would be considered an act of war. Are we prepared for this ?
Simla Agreement Was Already Dead — Pakistan Just Gave It a Formal Burial
⸻
The Simla Agreement of 1972 has long outlived its utility. Meant to serve as the cornerstone of peaceful bilateral engagement between India and Pakistan, it now exists only as a diplomatic relic. Pakistan’s recent conduct is not a suspension of the agreement—it is merely the formal burial of a pact that had already become a dead letter.
The agreement committed both nations to resolving all disputes, including Kashmir, through bilateral negotiations, shunning third-party mediation or international forums such as the United Nations. However, Pakistan has honoured the Simla Agreement more in breach than in observance. It has persistently internationalised the Kashmir issue, especially at forums of Islamic nations, undermining the core tenet of bilateralism.
When the two countries are no longer on speaking terms, the difference between bilateral and multilateral engagement becomes irrelevant. Whether the issues are raised directly or through a third party, the breakdown of trust renders the formality of the Simla framework moot.
What was once intended to foster peaceful dialogue has been overwhelmed by recurring tensions, cross-border hostilities, and diplomatic impasses. In today’s strategic climate, where contact is minimal and acrimony is maximal, the Simla Agreement’s distinctions and protocols carry little real-world weight.
Ultimately, the agreement’s failure to prevent conflict and confrontation exposes its inherent limitations. The current state of Indo-Pak relations serves as a harsh indictment of the agreement’s efficacy in maintaining peace or even sustaining dialogue.
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