Washington: In an extraordinary and provocative statement delivered on American soil, Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, has warned of unleashing nuclear devastation if his country faces annihilation in a future conflict with India. Speaking at an event in Tampa, Florida, the de facto ruler of Pakistan declared, “We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us.”
According to reports, the remarks were made during a private dinner hosted by businessman Adnan Asad, the honorary consul for Tampa. The threat marks the first known instance of a Pakistani leader issuing a nuclear warning against a third country while on US territory.
Munir also turned his rhetoric towards the Indus Waters Treaty, vowing to destroy any infrastructure India might construct along the Indus River that could limit water flow to Pakistan. He claimed that New Delhi’s move to suspend the treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack in April could place 250 million Pakistanis at risk of starvation.
“We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does, phir das missile sey faarigh kar dengey [we will destroy it with 10 missiles]… The Indus River is not the property of India’s family. Humein missilon ki kami nahin hai, al-hamdulillah [we have no shortage of missiles, praise be to God],” Munir said.
The event in Florida marked Munir’s second US visit in just two months. His previous trip in June included a luncheon at the White House hosted by President Donald Trump, during which Munir suggested Trump should be considered for the Nobel Peace Prize a recommendation he repeated at the Florida gathering.
The private dinner was attended by an estimated 120 Pakistani-origin residents of Florida, with strict restrictions barring cellphones and digital devices. Reports also indicate that a representative from the Israel Defence Forces was present.
In his speech, Munir revisited the recent four-day military clash between India and Pakistan, criticising New Delhi for withholding casualty figures. “The Indians should accept their losses… Sportsman spirit is a virtue,” he remarked, adding that Islamabad would disclose its own figures if India did the same.
Reading from prepared notes, Munir recalled a symbolic tweet sent during the conflict, which included Surah Al-Fil from the Quran and an image of Indian industrialist Mukesh Ambani. The chapter narrates how Allah destroyed an invading army using birds that dropped stones upon them, leaving them like “chewed-up straw.” Munir warned, “Next time, we’ll start from India’s East, where they keep their most valuable resources, and then move westwards.”
In a rare moment of candour, Munir compared India’s progress to Pakistan’s struggles, saying, “India is shining, a Mercedes coming on a highway like a Ferrari, but we are a dump truck full of gravel. If the truck hits the car, who will be the loser?”
Speculation about Munir’s political ambitions has been mounting, with some suggesting he may seek Pakistan’s presidency. Addressing the topic, he remarked, “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, a conservative figure and reportedly the first Pakistan Army Chief with a seminary education, left no doubt that his speech was as much a political statement as a military warning one that has sparked deep concern in both Washington and New Delhi.