Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, during his ongoing visit to the United States, issued a stern warning against India’s potential dam construction on the Indus River, vowing to “destroy” it if built, and repeated his assertion that Kashmir is Pakistan’s “jugular vein.”
Speaking to members of the Pakistani-American community in Tampa, Florida, Munir said Islamabad would defend its water rights “at all costs,” insisting that the Indus River “is not the Indians’ family property.” He added that Pakistan has “no shortage of resources to undo Indian designs” to block river flows, according to reports in Dawn and ARY News.
At a black-tie dinner in Washington, hosted by Adnan Asad, Pakistan’s honorary consul in Tampa, Munir reiterated his anti-India stance on Kashmir, calling it an “unresolved international issue” and dismissing India’s claim that it is an internal matter.
The Pakistan Army chief also condemned “Indian aggression under Operation Sindoor,” terming it a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty. Warning that “a bilateral conflict due to any mistake by India would be a huge blunder,” he credited Pakistan’s response with averting a wider confrontation and thanked former US President Donald Trump for his role in easing tensions.
India has firmly rejected Munir’s remarks. In an April 17 media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called the claim baseless, stating, “Jammu and Kashmir is a Union Territory of India… Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally occupied territories.”
Munir’s US trip included stops in two cities before heading to Brussels on Sunday. In Tampa, he attended the US Central Command change of command ceremony, marking the retirement of General Michael E. Kurilla and the appointment of Admiral Brad Cooper. He met US military leaders, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, and invited him to visit Pakistan, reaffirming Islamabad’s role as a “key regional security stakeholder,” according to ISPR.
