NEW DELHI, Aug. 11 — India on Monday sharply rebuked Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir for his latest nuclear remarks, declaring it would not yield to threats and urging the international community to note the dangers posed by such statements.
“Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan’s stock-in-trade,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to Munir’s comments at an event in Tampa, Florida. “India has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail. We will continue to take all necessary steps to safeguard our national security.”
Jaiswal warned that Pakistan’s rhetoric raises grave concerns about the security of its nuclear arsenal.
“It also reinforces the well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand in glove with terrorist groups,” he said.
Calling it “regrettable” that such threats were issued from the soil of a “friendly third country” — the United States — Jaiswal urged global powers to “draw their own conclusions” about the irresponsibility in such remarks.
During his U.S. visit, Munir cited Islamabad’s “nuclear prowess” and declared, “If we go down, we will take down half the world.” He also criticised India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and, according to sources, added: “We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does so, we will destroy it with 10 missiles.”
This marks Munir’s second visit to the United States in less than two months.
