A day after India announced the suspension of the Indus water treaty (IWT) in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan said on Thursday that it shall “exercise the right to hold all agreements with India, including but not limited to the Shimla agreement, in abeyance.”

Responding to the suspension of the Indus water treaty, Pakistan’s PMO said, “Pakistan’s PMO rejects the Indian announcement to hold the Indus water treaty in abeyance. The treaty is a binding international agreement brokered by the World Bank and contains no provisions for unilateral suspension. Water is a vital national interest of Pakistan, a lifeline for its 240 million people and its availability will be safeguarded at all costs. Any attempt to stop or divert the flow, water belonging to Pakistan as per the Indus water treaty and the usurpation of the rights of lower riparian will be considered as an act of war and responded with full force across the complete spectrum of national power.”

Pakistan has also closed its airspace to all Indian airlines.

The Shimla Agreement

Signed in June 1972, after the defeat of Pakistan by Indian armed forces in the 1971 war, the Shimla agreement led to the creation of Bangladesh. This pact also led to the creation of the Line of Control (LOC) and enforced that the two countries would settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations. But this pact has failed to enforce peace on the borders of India and Pakistan. The most serious violation of the Shimla Pact by Pakistan led to the Kargil war in 1999.