Tension between India and Pakistan Escalate Post-Attack in Kashmir
The possibility of Pakistan abrogating the Shimla Agreement as it were may have daunting consequences for India and universal peace.
After all these decades the Shimla Pact is suddenly threatened. India has opted for a much harsher diplomatic strategy against Pakistan with the aim of internationalizing the Pahalgam terrorist attack that struck Jammu and Kashmir a few days ago. In retaliation the Wagah border was sealed. The SAARC visa scheme was suspended and airspace was closed to Indian flights. But the greatest jolt was delivered when Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif hinted at the termination of contract on the historic Shimla Agreement.
Shimla Agreement Has Hangover of Peaceable Existence
The Shimla Agreement was signed on 2 July 1972, thereby terminating the 1971 war under which Bangladesh was born. While India with its head held high as the victor had 93,000 Pakistani soldiers in custody it still chose to establish peace with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto having agreed that all disputes of the future would be settled through dialogue rather than war. The agreement would redraw the Line of Control and provide guarantees against third-party interference.
Kashmir Dispute and the Privilege of Bilateral Talks
At its core is the bilateral commitment. India and Pakistan agreed to resolve all disputes including Kashmir directly. This arguably kept the straitjacket of international actors like the United Nations out of India’s way a significant diplomatic victory for it. Since then India has continuously used the Shimla Agreement as a tool to block foreign intervention on Kashmir.
Can Pakistan Abrogate? High-Staked Game
Now Pakistan’s national security committee declares violations of international law and UN resolutions by India. Since then Islamabad threatens to shred specifications on all bilateral deals. But this is easier said than done. Withdrawing from the agreement would diplomatically isolate Pakistan and bring to light in front of the world its unwillingness to pursue peace through dialogue.
Should the Deal Go: What Remains for India and the Region?
If Pakistan abrogates the Shimla Agreement then there are chances that tensions will rise along the Line of Control. It is highly possible that without a diplomatic frame of reference distrust between the two sides may again magnify the incidence of armed conflict. Kashmir may go back to the military forefront now that all negotiating platforms have been criminally trampled upon.
Final Thought: The Fate of Shimla, the Fate of Peace
The Shimla Agreement has ensured peace for over fifty years. Now it gets on the edge under pressure from malevolent political energy. Whatever Pakistan does will define the roadmap not only for South Asia but for the global discourse on conflict resolution, peace, and diplomacy.
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