Pakistan clarifies Simla agreement with India still intact amid rising tensions

Pakistan has denied any move to abrogate the Simla Agreement with India, despite recent escalations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Thursday.

According to well-placed sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is no written or formal decision to withdraw from the landmark bilateral accord. Senior officials confirmed that "no bilateral agreement with India, including the Simla Accord, has been annulled as of yet."

The clarification comes in the wake of heightened tensions following a recent brief but intense military conflict between India and Pakistan, which reignited global concerns over South Asia’s fragile peace.

Adding fuel to the fire, India recently announced its intention to unilaterally revoke the Indus Waters Treaty—a World Bank-brokered water-sharing pact signed in 1960 that had survived multiple wars and diplomatic breakdowns.

The Simla Agreement, signed on July 2, 1972, between Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was a post-war peace accord following the 1971 Indo-Pak war that led to the creation of Bangladesh. The agreement binds both countries to resolve all disputes, including the contentious issue of Kashmir, through bilateral talks and peaceful means.

However, diplomatic observers note that the recent military skirmish, India's increasing hardline stance, and the controversial revocation of the Indus Treaty could indicate a broader breakdown in the bilateral framework established by the Simla Agreement.

While Islamabad maintains that it has not officially walked away from the 1972 pact, the ground realities suggest the historic agreement is under unprecedented strain.