Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, has been on a tour of the United States over several days, which included attendance at a farewell function for the chief of the US Central Command, Gen. Michael Kurilla. The trip is said to be Gen. Munir's second visit in less than two months.
While in Tampa (where CENTCOM's HQ base is located), Gen. Munir also spoke at a private event for the Pakistani diaspora in America. His words there have set off outrage and condemnation from India on Monday, including fresh nuclear sabre-rattling.
"We are a nuclear power. If we go down, we’ll take half the world with us," Munir reportedly had stated. What has heightened the anger in New Delhi is that this is the first time a top Pakistani official has issued an apparent nuclear threat from US soil.
Munir also threatened to target infrastructure projects India might build on the Indus River, amid the recent conflict and diplomatic standoff over historic water rights treaties.
Referring to India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack of last April, he claimed it could lead to famine for 250 million people. "Let them build a dam, and we’ll hit it with ten missiles," he was quoted as saying, adding, "We have no shortage of missiles, al-hamdulillah [praise be to God]."
He also during the speech called India a shiny Mercedes, compared to "dump truck" Pakistan - in reference to military stregnth and impact:
"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 is going to be the loser?" he said in a "crude analogy".
The top army chief had further raised eyebrows on the question of military intervention in government affairs: "People say war is too serious to be left to the generals, but politics is also too serious to be left to the politicians," he said at the disapora event.
The Indian government issued a statement condemning the remarks:
India on Monday accused its neighbour Pakistan of "sabre rattling" and "irresponsibility" after media reports on remarks about nuclear threats in South Asia made by Pakistan's army chief while on a visit to the United States.
The statement also accused Pakistan of using nuclear saber-rattling as its "stock-in-trade". The two neighboring countires, who have fought several historic border wars, have both been nuclear-armed for decades - a fact which has frequently been cause for alarm for the whole south Asia region.
Additionally, an Indian lawmaker, Jairam Ramesh, responded Monday by saying: "It is bizarre that the US establishment is giving such a man such special treatment." The White House has not weighed in and is not expected to, but it is also of course an ally of India, and the Indian Embassy in D.C. is likely going to try and seek answers.
The Pentagon and US intelligence have long been close to Pakistan's military and intelligence establishment, especially related to anti-USSR activities (supporting the Afghan mujahideen) in the 1980s - as well as 'counterterror' operations in the Af-Pak region from the 1990s and into the 2000s.