Probe into chemical attacks on Kashmiris demanded

Foreign Office Thursday voiced Pakistan's serious concerns over reports of use of chemical weapons by India in Occupied Kashmir and called for an independent investigation, including through Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), into these reports. "We have noted with serious concern the media reports [regarding the use of chemical weapons in Held Kashmir]. Such reports need to be verified," said Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal while responding to media queries during his weekly press briefing.
He said that the Indian policy of denying access to any independent observers raises legitimate concerns. "These reports should find credence; this use would constitute a breach of Indian international obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention. Similar reports had emerged a few months before," he said, adding, "We call for independent investigations into such reports, including through OPCW".
Earlier, addressing his group's leaders and workers in Lahore on Wednesday, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed accused India of violating international laws on human rights by using ammunition containing chemical agents in Kashmir to suppress the indigenous freedom struggle of Kashmiris.
"India has literally crossed all limits by subjecting unarmed Kashmiris to state terrorism. Chemical weapons are being used to destroy Kashmiris' homes," Hafiz Saeed said who recently got release on Lahore High Court's order, which was criticized by the US and India.
However, reacting to the concerns raised by the US and India on release of the JuD chief, Dr Faisal said that Saeed was only in protective custody under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). "We have sought details from Ministry of Interior which is the line ministry in the case and will get back to you as soon as we hear anything", he added.
On India's successful launch of the world's fastest supersonic cruise missile, the spokesperson said that the latest launch of the cruise missile is part of the ongoing build-up and induction of sophisticated weaponry and delivery systems by India.
He said that Pakistan has consistently raised serious concerns about these developments as they negatively impact regional security and stability. "This launch is yet another manifestation of the Indian negative trends," he said.
For its part, he said that Pakistan continues to stress the need for a meaningful dialogue for confidence building, avoidance of arms race and promotion of strategic stability in South Asia. Pakistan's proposal for a Strategic Restraint Regime for South Asia remains on the table, he added.
"It is no surprise that India chose to exercise "strategic restraint" on its missile development prior to its application for MTCR [Missile Technology Control Regime] membership," he said, adding that the recent growth of missile tests by India after its MTCR membership, clearly demonstrates its policy of duplicity ie paying lip service to the goals of non-proliferation while developing conventional and non-conventional capabilities that not only undermine regional security but are inconsistent with non-proliferation norms as well.
To a question about the formal launch of Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) in Saudi Arabia, he said that it was the first meeting of Defense Ministers of IMCTC after its inception on December 16, 2015.
He said that the participants discussed ways to boost cooperation for combating terrorism through intelligence sharing, capacity building, joint exercises and media campaign. "We highlighted Pakistan's successful counterterrorism operations and the comprehensive National Action Plan. We reiterated our willingness to share our experience with other countries in countering the menace of international terrorism," he added.
He further said that Pakistan's defense minister told the 41-member Saudi-led coalition that Pakistan is ready to share its experience and capabilities in all four main domains of counterterrorism - intellectual, information, counter-financing of terrorism and military - through the forum of the IMCTC, which aims at enhancing the ability of its member states to counter the scourge of terrorism and extremism, upon their request.
Reaffirming Pakistan's historical and fraternal relations with Saudi Arabia, he said that the defense minister also assured Saudi Arabia and the participating countries of Pakistan's support and cooperation within the mutually agreed framework of the IMCTC.