From Washington, Asim Munir Threatens Nuclear Strikes, Warns Of ‘Taking Half The World Down’

He said any nuclear escalation would have global consequences.

Photo: Globe Newswire

Washington: Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir has issued a nuclear warning from U.S. soil. Speaking in Washington on Sunday, the field marshal declared that if Pakistan faced an existential threat, it would not go down alone.

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

The comment came during a black-tie dinner hosted by businessman Adnan Asad, the honorary consul in Tampa. This is Munir’s second trip to the United States in just two months.

He also raised the Indus Waters Treaty dispute during the evening. He warned that India’s decision to suspend the treaty could threaten the lives of 250 million people.

“We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does so, phir 10 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, Alhumdulillah (We have no shortage of missiles, Praise be to God),” he said.

India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in April 2025 after a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that killed 26 people. Since then, Islamabad has sent multiple letters urging New Delhi to reconsider its decision.

While in the United States, Munir addressed members of the Pakistani diaspora. He spoke about unity, economic potential and the role of youth in the country’s future. “The devotion and commitment of overseas Pakistanis to their beloved homeland is an open fact. Our 64 percent young population is full of immense potential, which will play a key role in building the future,” he said.

According to Dawn News, he described his back-to-back visits to the United States as a “new dimension” in Pakistan-U.S. relations.

His nuclear remarks drew sharp criticism in India. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi labelled him a “Failed Marshal” in a post on X. She urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian government to cancel cricket ties with Pakistan, including the Asia Cup.

She also told PTI that the International Atomic Energy Agency should step in to secure Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, calling Munir’s statements “maniacal”.

During his visit, Munir met senior U.S. military leaders, including U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Dan Caine, whom he invited to Pakistan. He also attended the farewell ceremony of outgoing U.S. Central Command Commander General Michael E. Kurilla and the change-of-command event as Admiral Brad Cooper took over the post.