Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir threatens to bomb dam if India builds it on Indus River

In an unusually blunt warning delivered on US soil, Pakistan’s Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir suggested his country would be prepared to unleash missile strikes and even escalate to nuclear conflict if India proceeds with dam construction on the Indus River.

Speaking at a black-tie dinner in Tampa hosted by businessman Adnan Asad, Pakistan’s honorary consul, Munir said that the river “is not the Indians’ family property” and warned that Islamabad has “no shortage of missiles", al-Hamdulillah [praise be to God], the Print reported.

He went further, issuing an apocalyptic caution about Pakistan’s nuclear posture. “We are a nuclear nation,” Munir said. “If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us.”

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The remarks came for the first time a Pakistani military leader has publicly delivered such a threat against India while abroad and particularly from within the United States, raising concerns about the volatility of South Asia’s already tense security environment.

While dam construction on the Indus has long been a source of friction between the nuclear-armed rivals, Munir’s explicit linkage of water disputes to potential missile and nuclear strikes underscores how resource competition could trigger far broader geopolitical consequences.

Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir who is visiting Washington for the second time since the recent four-day conflict with India, the Pakistan Army said on Sunday.

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In an official statement, the army confirmed that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) is on an official trip to the United States. During his visit, General Munir held high-level meetings with senior US political and military leaders, as well as members of the Pakistani diaspora.

Details about the duration of his stay or the exact date of his arrival were not disclosed.

While in Tampa, Munir attended the retirement ceremony of outgoing US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Michael E. Kurilla. He also participated in the Change of Command Ceremony, where Admiral Brad Cooper took over as the new CENTCOM commander.

He also met with Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, where matters of mutual professional interest were discussed. He extended an invitation to General Caine to visit Pakistan, it added.

With inputs from agencies