Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has drawn international attention and criticism after issuing a provocative nuclear threat during a recent visit to the United States. Speaking at a private dinner hosted by Pakistan’s honorary consul in Tampa, Munir warned that Pakistan would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons if faced with an existential crisis.
“We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us,” Munir reportedly said, according to eyewitness accounts cited by The Print.
The remarks were made in the context of escalating tensions with India, particularly over the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. India placed the decades-old water-sharing agreement in abeyance following a terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir earlier this year. Munir accused India of jeopardizing the lives of millions and threatened to retaliate if new dams were constructed on the Indus River.
“We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does, we’ll destroy it with ten missiles. We have no shortage of missiles, praise be to God,” he reportedly added.
Munir’s speech also included a controversial analogy comparing India to a “shining Mercedes” and Pakistan to a “dump truck full of gravel,” suggesting that in any collision, India would suffer greater damage. He further defended the military’s involvement in Pakistan’s political affairs, stating, “Politics is too serious to be left to the politicians.”
The Army Chief’s comments come during his second visit to the US in two months. His itinerary included attending the retirement ceremony of General Michael E. Kurilla, former commander of US CENTCOM, and meetings with senior American military officials, including Admiral Brad Cooper and General Dan Caine. Munir extended an invitation to General Caine to visit Pakistan.
The remarks have sparked outrage in India, with political leaders and commentators condemning the threat. Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi referred to Munir as the “Failed Marshal” and called for a re-evaluation of India’s sporting and diplomatic ties with Pakistan.
No official transcript of Munir’s speech has been released, and recording devices were reportedly prohibited at the event. The comments have been reconstructed based on multiple sources and attendee accounts
