Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir delivers 'nuclear threat' from US soil

Asim Munir nuclear threat: Pakistan's Army chief Asim Munir warns of nuclear use if threatened by India, in remarks made during a US visit

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has warned that the country would be prepared to use nuclear weapons if it faced an "existential threat" in a future war, according to a report by The Print. Munir made the remarks on his recent visit to the US, his second in the last two months.

 

According to the report, Munir attended a diaspora event hosted by Pakistan's consul in Florida. “We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us,” he said at the event, according to The Print.

 

 

Munir's remarks come months after the military clash with India. Islamabad claims the military standoff was resolved by US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly taken credit for preventing a "nuclear war". India, however, has denied Trump's claims of mediation.

 

'India a shining Mercedes, Pakistan dump truck full of gravel'

 

The Pakistan Army chief compared India to a “shining Mercedes” and Pakistan to a “dump truck full of gravel”, arguing that while both sides would suffer in a collision, India would sustain greater damage.

 

'Will destroy dams with missiles'

According to attendees, cited in the report, Munir's remarks were accompanied by threats to destroy any future dams built by India in response to New Delhi’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty — an agreement governing water sharing between the two nations.

 

Munir allegedly accused India of endangering up to 250 million people by placing the water-sharing pact on hold. He reportedly said, “We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does, we’ll destroy it with 10 missiles. We have no shortage of missiles, praise be to God.”

 

He also outlined a hypothetical sequence of strikes, starting from India’s east and moving westward.

 

Recently, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for Pakistan’s military, told The Economist in an interview that in a future conflict with India, “we’ll start from the East" - highlighting Pakistan's intention to leverage the regime change in Bangladesh to its advantage. 

 

Role of Pak military in politics

Asim Munir also used the occasion to defend the military’s role in Pakistan’s political affairs, saying: “They say war is too serious to be left to the Generals, but politics is also too serious to be left to the politicians.”

 

Munir's high-profile meetings in the US

In Florida, Munir attended the Retirement Ceremony of outgoing Commander United States Central Command (CENTCOM), General Michael E Kurilla, and the Change of Command Ceremony marking the assumption of command by Admiral Brad Cooper, the Pakistan Army said in a statement.

 

The Pakistan Army chief also met with Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine. The Pakistan Army said that "matters of mutual professional interest" were discussed at the meeting. Munir also extended an invitation to General Caine to visit Pakistan.

 

In June, Munir had travelled to the US on a rare five-day trip during which he attended a private luncheon with President Donald Trump. During the meeting, Munir also nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for "stopping the war" between India and Pakistan as well as preventing many other wars around the world.

 

Following the meeting, the Trump administration announced enhanced US-Pakistan cooperation in various fields, including an oil deal.