Shimla Agreement 1972

[pratul]

Points to remember:

1.The treaty was signed in Simla, India, by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India.

2.The Simla Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan at 12:40amon July 3, 1972. It followed from the war between the two nations in the previous year that had led to the independence of East Pakistan as Bangladesh.

3.It laid down a principle for the two countries "to settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations.The Line of Control resulting from the cease-fire of December 17, 1971 shall be respected by both sides without prejudice to the recognised position of either side and is not a final agreement pending a final agreement will be further negotiated, Kashmiris also should be included in the Peace process between the two nations.

4.As a gesture of goodwill India decided not to try 90,368 Pakistani prisoners of war for war crimes and released them.

5.The Agreement was meant to ensure a long-lasting end of hostilities and the restoration of friendly terms between both the nations. However, the agreement never clearly defined the line in the Siachen Glacier-Saltoro Ridge area, and India moved its troops there in April 1984. Pakistan immediately moved its troops to the region as well, and this became the highest battleground between organized armies in history until a cease-fire in 2005.