Washington / Islamabad | August 11, 2025 — Pakistan’s powerful Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has sparked global concern with a series of fiery remarks during a recent trip to the United States, warning that Islamabad would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons if pushed to the brink and vowing missile strikes on Indian infrastructure over water disputes.
Speaking at a high-profile gathering in Tampa, Florida, Munir declared Pakistan to be a “nuclear nation” that would “take half the world down” if it faced destruction. This is being seen as one of the most direct and alarming nuclear threats ever made by a Pakistani leader on foreign soil.
The Army Chief also reignited tensions over the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a decades-old agreement regulating river water sharing between India and Pakistan. Munir accused New Delhi of violating the pact and jeopardizing the food security of over 250 million Pakistanis. “If India builds a dam on the Indus, we will bring it down with 10 missiles,” he said, adding, “The Indus River is not anyone’s personal property. Al-Hamdu-lillah, we have no shortage of missiles.”
India suspended the IWT in April 2025, following a terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam. New Delhi cited security concerns and accused Pakistan of exploiting cross-border terrorism while benefiting from the treaty. Since then, Islamabad has repeatedly called water a “red line” for national security.
Analysts warn that Munir’s statements could complicate U.S.-Pakistan relations, given that the threats were issued during an official visit. Regional experts also caution that water disputes, coupled with nuclear posturing, could significantly escalate tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
While Washington has not yet officially commented, diplomatic circles are reportedly uneasy over the rhetoric, especially as South Asia remains a flashpoint with overlapping disputes over territory, water resources, and security.
