India: Pakistan's allegation of chemical weapon use in Kashmir ‘totally unfounded’

India has denounced as “totally unfounded” Pakistan’s allegations of reported use of chemical weapons by Indian security forces on civilians in the disputed region of Kashmir.

“We completely reject allegations made by Pakistan about the reported use of chemical weapons by the Indian security forces against Indian citizens,” India’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said in a statement on Friday.

“Such allegations are not new and are totally unfounded,” he said, adding that such “malicious attempts” to deflect international opinion away from terrorism emanating from Pakistan will fail.

Kumar also stressed that his country had repeatedly voiced its complete opposition to the use of chemical weapons “by anyone, at anytime, and anywhere in the world.”

“India is an original signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC),” the spokesperson said in the statement. “The international community has recognized India’s abiding commitment and contribution to the CWC which is the universal multilateral instrument prohibiting the use of chemical weapons.”

Kumar concluded that Pakistan was acting in a highly "irresponsible manner" in order to make the international community believe these allegations.

Kumar's statement came after Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal alleged in a weekly press briefing on Thursday that India was using chemical weapons on “unarmed citizens” in Jammu and Kashmir.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both since the two partitioned and gained independence from Britain in 1947.

The two countries have fought three wars over the disputed territory. Despite a ceasefire agreement that was reached in November 2003, sporadic skirmishes continue in Kashmir.

Upon taking office in mid-August, Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Imran Khan offered to promote cordial relations with neighboring India.

However, in recent weeks, Islamabad-New Delhi relations deteriorated amid high-profile diplomatic tensions between the two neighbors and, in particular, the cancellation of a rare bilateral meeting.

PressTV-Pakistan's Khan slams India for cancelling rare meeting

The Pakistani prime minister denounced the decision to cancel the first high-level talks in years between the two countries.

New Delhi accuses Islamabad of supporting pro-independence fighters, an allegation rejected by the Pakistani government. Islamabad, in turn, is critical of India’s heavy military deployment to Kashmir, some 500,000 soldiers, and its crackdown against the region’s Muslim population.

Armed battles between Indian forces and militants over the years have killed nearly 70,000 people, mostly civilians.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk