Shimla Agreement 1972: The year 1971 was historic for India. This year a war took place between India and Pakistan. After this war, a part of Pakistan broke away and became Bangladesh. This war has a deep connection with Shimla. The Shimla Agreement was signed in Banners Court, the historic building of India’s summer capital during the British rule.
This agreement was signed on the night of July 2 after Pakistan’s crushing defeat in the war with India. This agreement was completed amidst a dilemma of yes and no. After several rounds of negotiations, the agreement had almost failed, but then the agreement was signed at 12:40 in the night. The story behind this agreement is very interesting.
A sound echoed at night – a boy was born
For the Shimla Agreement, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had come to Shimla with his daughter Benazir. Meanwhile, at 12:40 in the night, code words echoed in the Banners Court building – boy is born. Actually, when the representatives of both the countries were confused, it was decided that these words would be spoken when the agreement was reached.
When Benazir Bhutto came to Shimla in 1972, a huge crowd gathered in Shimla to see her. Journalists from many foreign newspapers also reached Shimla to cover Benazir Bhutto. Indira Gandhi had already reached Shimla before she arrived. The helicopter of the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto could not land in Shimla for several hours due to heavy rain. Due to this, Indira Gandhi also had to wait for him for several hours.
The agreement was signed by taking a pen from the journalist
The table on which the agreement was signed is still in the Raj Bhawan. Senior journalist Prakash Chand Lohumi was present at the time of the agreement. Prakash Chand Lohumi says that the table on which the agreement was signed did not even have a cloth on it. Even the pen given to Indira Gandhi for signing the agreement was given by a media person from Shimla.
The Shimla agreement had already failed completely. But then suddenly the news came that there was some commotion in the Banners Court. Immediately after this all the journalists rushed towards the Banners Court. Before the agreement was signed, the Prime Ministers of both the countries had to wait for the Doordarshan team for several hours because they too had returned to their homes. When the agreement was signed, the voice of ‘boy hua hai boy’ started resonating.
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