India slams Asim Munir's 'irresponsible' nuclear threat, MEA says 'Pak army is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups'

In a sharp response to Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday (Aug 11) said that “nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan's stock-in-trade.” The MEA said that the international community can draw its own conclusions over the irresponsible remark made by Asim Munir during his visit to the United States. India said that Munir's statement raises doubts about the integrity of nuclear weapons and their control and stated that “the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups” in Pakistan. Terming the US a ‘friendly third country’, the MEA statement condemned Munir's remark and set the record straight repeating what Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already declared - that India won't give in to nuclear blackmail. “We will continue to take all steps necessary to safeguard our national security,” it added.

Asim Munir's nuke threat

Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, on Sunday (Aug 10) made a nuclear threat against India and the world. During his ongoing visit to the United States, he warned that if his country were ever pushed to the brink in a conflict with India, it would "take half the world down" with it. Speaking at a private black-tie dinner in Tampa hosted for businessman Adnan Asad, Munir said Pakistan is a nuclear power and would use its arsenal if necessary. He also threatened to target any future Indian dams on the Indus River, saying India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty could put hundreds of millions at risk of starvation. Munir, as quoted by ThePrint, noted that Pakistan was a nuclear nation and said, "if we think we are going down, we'll take half the world down with us". Speaking at the dinner he hosted for Adnan Asad, who serves as Pakistan's honorary consul in Tampa, he also raked up the Indus Water Treaty issue.