New Delhi: On April 22, 2025, terrorists killed 26 innocent people in Pahalgam, a quaint town in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district. The heinous attack has not only shocked and infuriated India but also the rest of the world. Since the Pulwama attack in 2019, it was one of the most heinous terror attacks in the Valley. The Resistance Front (TRF) has claimed responsibility for the attack and it is an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the dreaded terrorist organization. Among the 26 victims, 25 were tourists while one was a Kashmiri pony ride operator.
The Indian government retaliated by pausing the crucial Indus Water Treaty, and shutting down the Integrated Check Post at Attari. Also, Pakistani nationals can no longer come to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme visas and defence advisers in the Pakistani High Commission has been declared Persona Non Grata. Pakistan has replied by suspending the 1972 Simla Agreement, a significant peace treaty which was signed between India and Pakistan after the 1971 War between the two nations.
Simla Agreement: A pivotal treaty in the India-Pakistan relation
On July 2, 1972, the Simla Agreement was a peace treaty signed after the India-Pakistan War of 1971. India went into a war with Pakistan to help East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in its fight for independence, which led to the formation of a new country. The Indian Army trounced Pakistan in the battle, and after that, in 1972, the Simla Agreement was signed in the famous city in Himachal Pradesh. The signatories were then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi and then President of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
The aim of the Simla Agreement was to end the long-standing conflict between India and Pakistan and bring peace. The Agreement aimed to normalise bilateral relations between the two nations and laid down the principles for future interactions between them. Both India and Pakistan agreed to resort to peaceful means and and bilateral negotiations to resolve any differences, without the intervention of the third-party.
What were the outcomes of the Simla Agrement?
The key outcomes of the Simla Agreement are:
- Both countries would resolve differences peacefully. Especially for the Kashmir dispute, as India insisted that the issue be addressed bilaterally.
- After the 1971 war, there was a ceasefire line between the two countries. The Simla Agreement transformed it into the Line of Control (LOC) between India and Pakistan. It stated that neither country would try to unilaterally alter this line.
- During the 1971 war, India captured more than 13,000 sq km of land which it returned as per the Simla Agreement. However, India retained few strategic areas like Dhothang, Turtuk, Chalunka, and Tyakshi which amounted to over 883 sq km.
- The Simla Agreement forced Pakistan to diplomatically recognise Bangladesh, which was a significant step after the new nation’s creation.
Despite the Simla Agreement, the relationship between the two countries deteriorated over subsequent years. In the 1980s, the Siachen Glacier conflict took place, and of course, how can we forget the Kargil War in 1999. While the relations between the two nations have always been strained, the Pahalgam terror attack had immersed it into a deeper crisis.
