India on Monday condemned Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir's nuclear threat made from US soil, terming it an example of Pakistan's "nuclear sabre-rattling." In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the international community could draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforced well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military operates hand-in-glove with terrorist groups.
Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan's stock-in-trade: MEA
MEA, in a statement, said, "Our attention has been drawn to remarks reportedly made by the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff while on a visit to the United States. Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan's stock-in-trade."
The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforce 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.
It is also regrettable that these remarks should have been made from the soil of a friendly third country. India has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail. We will continue to take all steps necessary to safeguard our national security."
'Pakistan is an irresponsible state with nuclear weapons': Govt sources
Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir's nuclear threat from US soil showed that "Pakistan is an irresponsible state with nuclear weapons," government sources said on Monday. The sources further said that there is a "real danger of nuclear weapons" falling in the hands of non-state actors in Pakistan.
The Pakistan Army Chief's comments are part of a pattern in Pakistan as whenever the US supports the Pakistan military, they always show their true colours of aggression, the sources said.
It is a symptom that democracy does not exist in Pakistan and it is their military which controls the country, they said. "Emboldened by reception and welcome by the US, the next step could possibly be a silent or open coup in Pakistan so that the Field Marshal becomes the President," said a source.
'Will take half the world down with us': Asim Munir
Munir has issued a nuclear threat against India, warning that Islamabad would "take half the world down" with it, if his country faces an existential threat in the future from New Delhi. "We are a nuclear nation, if we think we are going down, we'll take half the world down with us," ThePrint quoted Munir as saying at the event in Tampa.
Munir issued this nuclear threat from US soil during a black-tie dinner he hosted for businessman Adnan Asad, who serves as Pakistan's honorary consul in Tampa. The remarks mark the first recorded instance of a nuclear threat being made from US territory against a third country.
Munir also took aim at India over the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, warning that India's decision to suspend it could endanger 250 million people with the risk of starvation.
"We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does so, 10 missiles se faarigh kar denge (we will destroy it with 10 missiles)," he said, adding, The Indus river is not the Indians’ family property. Humein missilon ki kami nahin hai, al-Hamdulillah (we have no shortage of missiles, Praise be to God)," Munir said, as quoted by ThePrint, citing sources.
(With PTI inputs)
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