"Suicidal": Defence Expert criticises Pakistan's decision to suspend Simla Agreement

Ludhiana (Punjab) [India], April 25 : Defence Expert DS Dhillon on Friday said that Pakistan's decision to suspend the Simla Agreement of 1972 was a "suicidal" move since it frees India from the obligation to respect the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, which was a result of the ceasefire in 1971.
He said that the implication of Pakistan suspending the Simla Agreement was that India was not obliged to respect the LoC and could cross the same.
"Like India has suspended the Indus water treaty, Pakistan has also threatened to suspend the Simla Agreement. I will say that this is a good thing because it also ends the existence of the Line of Control (LoC). This means that India is not obligated to respect the LoC. Ye karke Pakistan apne gale main rassa dalega (This is suicide for Pakistan). This also makes India free to cross the LoC," Dhillon told ANI.
Responding to the statement made by Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, the Defence expert said that his remarks were "laughable" since the US earlier threatened to stop funding for Pakistan's involvement in aiding terrorism.
"Pakistan's Foreign Minister has openly accepted that their country used to train terrorists. He has put the entire blame on US and west, stating that we trained because they said so. This is laughable since the US threatened to stop funding them, diverting those funds to train terrorists. This is a baseless allegation. They are trying to save face by blaming the US since it stopped Pakistan's funding for aiding terrorism," Dhillon said.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat said that it was not crucial to understand on whose instructions Pakistan was aiding terrorism but to answer them on the same. He said that Pakistan can't evade accountability for the terrorist attacks by making such remarks (blaming the US).
"It is not important to know on whose instructions Pakistan is doing this. Our nation and nation's security is important, and if anyone tries to meddle with it, we will answer them. This is why we didn't politicise the matter and stand with the government. Pakistan can't evade its accountability. This is childish talk. We hope that strict action is taken against the terrorists so that people of the country can feel secure," Bhagat told ANI.
He further stated that the central government must take action against those responsible for the security lapse in the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
"The government must take action against terrorists on the other side of the border. However, it must also investigate the security lapse and take action against those responsible for the same," the Congress leader said.
These remarks come after Pakistan suspended the Simla Agreement, which was signed between Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto after the 1971 war.
Moreover, the Pakistan Defence Minister admitted that his country has been funding and backing terrorist groups. In a video clip that has now gone viral, Pakistan's defence minister is in conversation with Sky News's Yalda Hakim, when she asks him, "But you do admit, you do admit, sir, that Pakistan has had a long history of backing and supporting and training and funding these terrorist organisations?"
Khwaja Asif in his reply says, "We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about 3 decades... and the west, including Britain...That was a mistake, and we suffered for that, and that is why you are saying this to me. If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union and later on the war after 9/11, Pakistan's track record was unimpeachable."
The Pakistani Defence Minister has also in the interview with Sky News presenter Yalda Hakim warned of an "all-out war" possible with India.