Washington, DC — Pakistan's former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said his country reserves the right to walk away from the Simla Agreement if India continues to take unilateral decisions, especially in matters tied to bilateral treaties.
Speaking to TRT World, the Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) referred to recent meetings of the country's national security officials, where the issue was discussed in detail.
Bhutto-Zardari was in the US as part of Pakistan's broad-based engagement campaign to present its perspective on the recent spike in tensions with India, and counter New Delhi's diplomatic blitzkrieg.
The delegation comprised of former foreign ministers Bilawal, Hina Rabbani Khar and Khurram Dastgir; Senators Sherry Rehman, Musadik Malik, Faisal Sabzwari and Bushra Anjum Butt; along with senior envoys Jalil Abbas Jilani and Tehmina Janjua.
"I believe the last time I was in the country, the government had a meeting of its security apparatus," he said.
"The government officials made a whole host of decisions. We declared that if this water treaty (Indus Water Treaty) was violated, then Pakistan reserves the right to pull back from the Simla Agreement … if India is going to be unilateral in its decisions."
He made it clear, however, that no final call had been made.
"I'm not quite sure we've actually taken that decision yet. But technically, the right is reserved."
Indus Water Treaty
Technically, the Simla Agreement still stands — but its future is now far from certain.
India has paused the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan following strained relations after the Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blames on Islamabad.
Pakistan has refuted the claims and called for an international investigation.
In response, Pakistan announced it would review all bilateral agreements with India — including the Simla Accord — and keep them on hold for the time being.
The government also ordered the closure of the Wagah border crossing and halted all trade with India. These moves were part of a broader diplomatic and economic freeze aimed at signalling Pakistan's anger.
Both sides used fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery last month in four days of clashes, their worst fighting in decades, before agreeing to a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10.
The Simla Agreement, signed in July 1972 by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Indira Gandhi, came in the wake of the 1971 war.
It was intended to bring a measure of stability to the fractured Indo-Pakistan relationship.
Both sides agreed to settle disputes through talks and to respect the Line of Control that splits Kashmir into Pakistan and India-administered areas while working toward a final resolution.
But in recent years, many in Pakistan have questioned whether the agreement still holds weight.
