Pakistan’s Army Chief, Asim Munir, has made a provocative statement during an event in Tampa, Florida, warning that his country would not hesitate to unleash nuclear weapons if faced with an existential threat in a future war with India. “We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us,” Munir was quoted as saying. His remarks mark the first time a nuclear threat from Pakistan has been publicly issued on US soil against another country.
Speaking to an audience of about 120 members of the Pakistani diaspora, Munir also warned that Pakistan would destroy any Indian infrastructure built on the Indus water channels. He argued that India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the April Pahalgam terror attack could endanger 250 million people. “We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does so, we will destroy it with 10 missiles. We have no shortage of missiles,” he said, emphasizing that the Indus River was not India’s property.
The event, hosted by businessman and Tampa honorary consul Adnan Asad, reportedly barred attendees from carrying cellphones or digital devices. A representative from the Israel Defence Forces was also said to be present. Munir, who is on his second US visit in two months, previously met US President Donald Trump at the White House in June and even suggested Trump for a Nobel Prize—an idea he repeated in Florida.
Addressing Pakistan’s recent military conflict with India, Munir challenged New Delhi to publicly reveal the extent of its losses during the four-day clashes in May, while saying Pakistan would reciprocate if India did the same. He also claimed Pakistan had prepared targeted threats, including a message referencing the Quran’s Surah Al-Fil alongside a picture of Indian industrialist Mukesh Ambani, warning of strikes starting from India’s east and moving westward.
Munir, a seminary-educated military leader, also made a “crude analogy” comparing India to a luxury Mercedes and Pakistan to a dump truck full of gravel—implying that while India may appear stronger, a collision would be devastating for both. Amid speculation that he may seek the presidency, Munir argued that politics should not be left solely to politicians, echoing his belief in a strong military role in governance.
