Simla Agreement ‘Dead’, Pakistan Returns to 1948 UN Position on Kashmir: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif

In a sharp diplomatic shift, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has declared the 1972 Simla Agreement a “dead document”, signaling a significant departure from decades of bilateral engagement with India over the Kashmir issue. The statement suggests a formal return to an international or multilateral approach, challenging the longstanding understanding that disputes would be resolved through bilateral dialogue.

Speaking to a private Pakistani television channel on Wednesday, Asif said,

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif says the Simla Agreement is now a dead document, no longer relevant.

“The LoC is now just a ceasefire line on which Nehru declared a ceasefire under international pressure.”

Nehru’s mistake continues to cost us to this day. pic.twitter.com/cqnxR3BcqR

— Political Kida (@PoliticalKida) June 5, 2025

“The Simla Agreement is now a dead document. We are back to the 1948 position, when the United Nations declared the LoC a ceasefire line, following the ceasefire and resolutions.”

The remarks come amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, a cross-border military operation launched by India last month in response to the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack. Hostilities have since flared along both the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border, intensifying security concerns in the region.

Multilateral Route Over Bilateral Engagement

Khawaja Asif said Pakistan no longer sees bilateral mechanisms with India as workable and hinted that future disputes—including Kashmir—will be dealt with at the international or multilateral level.

“Going forward, these disputes will be dealt with multilaterally or internationally,” he said.

Asif’s statement represents a sharp contrast to the principles of the Simla Agreement, signed after the 1971 India-Pakistan war. The agreement had committed both countries to peaceful resolution through bilateral talks and to respect the Line of Control as established post-war.

India, for its part, continues to maintain that bilateralism remains the only valid framework for discussing issues with Pakistan and has consistently rejected third-party mediation, including offers from the UN and other global powers.

Indus Waters Treaty in Question

Adding to the growing strain, Asif also cast doubt over the durability of other historic treaties, particularly the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)—a World Bank-brokered agreement that has withstood even the most hostile episodes of India-Pakistan relations.

“Whether the Indus Waters Treaty is suspended or not, Simla is already over,” he added, fueling concerns of further erosion in diplomatic norms between the two nations.

Nuclear Posture and Security Alert

On the security front, the Defence Minister noted that Pakistan’s nuclear assets remain on high alert, though he clarified that the use of nuclear weapons would only be considered under “direct existential threat”.

“Our nuclear posture remains intact, but we would only resort to such measures in extreme circumstances,” Asif said.

India's Position Remains Unchanged

While New Delhi has yet to issue an official response, Indian officials have repeatedly stressed that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter and that the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration form the basis for all engagements with Pakistan. India’s refusal to internationalize the Kashmir dispute has been a consistent element of its foreign policy.