The agreement, which comes into force with immediate effect, was signed on behalf of Pakistan by External Affairs Minister Z.A. Bhutto and on behalf of China by Marshal Chen Yi, Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister.

After signing the agreement, both the ministers warmly shook hands and proposed congratulatory toasts.

The agreement delimits the boundary on the basis of a traditional customary boundary line, including natural features, and has set out the alignment of the entire boundary line.

It also provides for the setting up of a joint boundary demarcation commission with a chairman to be appointed from each side and one or more members and technical staff to assist them.

The commission, expected to be announced soon, would conduct a survey of the boundary area on the ground to fix boundary markers at jointly agreed places to facilitate the delineation of the boundary line on jointly-prepared accurate maps.

Afterwards, the commission would draft a protocol and prepare detailed maps which would become part of the present agreement.

The signing ceremony, which took place in the National People’s Congress building, was attended by Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Liu Shao-chi, Premier Chou En-lai, Vice-Premiers and other high officials. Mr Bhutto wore a black Jinnah cap for the formal occasion as did the other members of his delegation.—Agencies

K-2 row over KARACHI: The famous K-2 Peak in the Karakoram range, to which China had laid a claim, will remain with Pakistan under the terms of the boundary agreement. A Foreign Office spokesman said yesterday that three-fourths of the mountain faces Pakistan, and the route of the ascent has all along been in Pakistan control.

There will be no change in the de facto position of the possession of the peak. The agreed boundary line runs on top of the peak, wide enough to accommodate 100 on top.

The agreement is identical to the one arrived at between China and Nepal in respect of Mount Everest.—Staff Correspondent