New Delhi: In an unprecedented escalation of rhetoric, Pakistan’s Army Chief and de facto ruler General Asim Munir has issued an open nuclear threat against India — from American soil. Speaking at a closed-door dinner in Tampa, Florida, Munir warned that if Pakistan faced an existential threat in a future war with India, it would “take half the world down” with it.
“We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us,” Munir reportedly declared, making what is believed to be the first nuclear threat ever delivered from US territory against a third country.
The high-profile event was hosted by businessman Adnan Asad, Pakistan’s honorary consul in Tampa, and was attended by around 120 Pakistani-origin residents. Guests were barred from carrying mobile phones or digital devices. A representative from the Israel Defence Forces was also reportedly present.
Munir also targeted India over the Indus Waters Treaty, warning of missile strikes on any Indian-built infrastructure that could reduce water flow to Pakistan. Referring to New Delhi’s decision to suspend the treaty after the April Pahalgam terror attack, he claimed the move could endanger 250 million Pakistanis.
“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 Indians’ family property. Humein missilon ki kami nahin hai, al-hamdulillah [we have no shortage of missiles, praise be to God],” he said.
Addressing Pakistan’s recent four-day military conflict with India, Munir mocked New Delhi for not disclosing its losses and urged “sportsman spirit.” He admitted to authorising a tweet quoting the Quran’s Surah Al-Fil alongside an image of Indian industrialist Mukesh Ambani, as a warning of potential future attacks.
“We’ll start from India’s East, where they have located their most valuable resources, and then move westwards,” Munir was quoted as saying.
In a moment of candid comparison, Munir described India as “a Mercedes coming on a highway like a Ferrari” and Pakistan as “a dump truck full of gravel,” adding, “If the truck hits the car, who is going to be the loser?”
The army chief also hinted at possible political ambitions, remarking, “They say war is too serious to be left to the Generals, but politics is also too serious to be left to the politicians” — fuelling speculation he may seek Pakistan’s presidency.
This was Munir’s second US visit in as many months. On June 18, he attended a White House luncheon with former President Donald Trump, during which he reportedly recommended Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize — a suggestion he repeated in Florida.
His latest remarks mark a stark intensification of Pakistan’s military rhetoric, raising fears of heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
