MEA condemns Asim Munir statements in US, says ‘Nuke sabre-rattle is Pak’s stock-in-trade’

By Anjali Sharma

WASHINGTON – Ministry of External Affairs on Monday condemned Pakistan Army Chief’s Asim Munir nuclear threats he made during his US visit, called them irresponsible and reaffirmed India’s commitment to protect national security against nuclear blackmail.

MEA said that remarks by Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir during his US visit amounted to “nuclear sabre-rattling” and highlighted the irresponsible nature of Islamabad’s nuclear posture.

The ministry noted that such comments reinforced global concerns over Pakistan’s nuclear command and control, given its military’s ties with terrorist groups.

The ministry emphasized that India will not give in to the nuclear blackmail.

The ministry noted that it is “regrettable that these remarks were made from the soil of a friendly third country United States of America.”

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared the MEA’s response on his X handle.

Munir issued a stark warning of “nuclear war” while speaking from American soil. At an event in Tampa, Florida, Munir, who acts as Pakistan’s military ruler, threatened to drag “half the world” down with Pakistan if the country faced an existential threat in a future conflict with India.

“We are a nuclear nation. If we believe we are going down, we will take half the world down with us,” he reportedly stated.

These comments mark the first known nuclear threats made from US territory against a third country. Munir made the remarks during a dinner hosted by Tampa businessman Adnan Asad, who is also the city’s honorary consul.

On the Indus Waters Treaty, Munir warned that Pakistan would destroy any Indian infrastructure on the Indus River that restricts water flow to Pakistan.

He said New Delhi’s suspension of the treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack in April could endanger 250 million people with starvation.

“We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does, we will destroy it with 10 missiles… The Indus River does not belong to India alone. Thankfully, we have no shortage of missiles,” Munir said, according to reports.

Munir visited the US twice. On his previous visit, he attended a White House luncheon with President Trump on June 18 and proposed nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize, a suggestion he reiterated at the Florida event.