Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi walks in the grounds of the state guest house with then President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Simla. The two leaders were meeting after East Pakistan had gained independence to become Bangladesh after a 13-day war; it was a difficult time for Bhutto as 90,000 Pakistani soldiers had been taken prisoner by India.
The aim of the Simla Accord was to normalise relations between India and Pakistan and ostensibly bring an end to the Kashmir dispute. Its success was that it led to the return of the POWs. It was also historically significant as Mr Bhutto came up with the idea of changing the name of the Kashmir ‘Ceasefire Line’ to the ‘Line of Control’.
According to The Citizen, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi arrived two days before Mr Bhutto, who came with his daughter Benazir. “Indira Gandhi personally saw to the decor of the rooms in polished teak wood paneling to be used by the Bhuttos during their stay in Simla,” writes Mehru Jaffer. “Benazir’s room was draped in pastel pink and green shades while father Bhutto’s bedroom was lined with a generous stock of his favourite cigars.” Benazir remarked how “tiny” she found Ms Gandhi, “much smaller than she seemed in the countless photographs” she had seen of her. She found her “elegant, even in the raincoat she wore over her sari under the threatening skies”.
The aim of the Simla Accord was to normalise relations between India and Pakistan and ostensibly bring an end to the Kashmir dispute. Its success was that it led to the return of the POWs. It was also historically significant as Mr Bhutto came up with the idea of changing the name of the Kashmir ‘Ceasefire Line’ to the ‘Line of Control’.
According to The Citizen, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi arrived two days before Mr Bhutto, who came with his daughter Benazir. “Indira Gandhi personally saw to the decor of the rooms in polished teak wood paneling to be used by the Bhuttos during their stay in Simla,” writes Mehru Jaffer. “Benazir’s room was draped in pastel pink and green shades while father Bhutto’s bedroom was lined with a generous stock of his favourite cigars.” Benazir remarked how “tiny” she found Ms Gandhi, “much smaller than she seemed in the countless photographs” she had seen of her. She found her “elegant, even in the raincoat she wore over her sari under the threatening skies”.