Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir’s threat

By Dr Arun Mitra

The statement by Pakistan’s army chief, General Asif Munir, made in the United States—that if necessary, Pakistan would use nuclear weapons and bring half the world to the brink of destruction—is completely unnecessary, dangerous, and deepens the rift in India–Pakistan relations. It is surprising that the talk of using nuclear weapons was made at a time when the entire world, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the devastation caused by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, is holding events in various places to call for their total elimination.

It is further surprising that, according to reports, when he made this statement, an Israeli representative was also present in the meeting. Such remarks strengthen forces that advocate for the use of nuclear weapons as a deterrent. In India, those forces that spread the poison of religious extremism and incite hatred are encouraged from this. Similarly, within Pakistan, there are extremist elements and organizations that grow stronger in such circumstances.

It is no hidden fact that the successive Pakistani governments have given shelter to terrorists. To overthrow the Najibullah government in Afghanistan, the Taliban created by the United States were given shelter, training, and all kinds of support by Pakistan. However, those same Talibani forces have now become a headache for Pakistan itself. Many terrorist incidents have repeatedly occurred in various Pakistani cities.

A few months ago, even after the incident in which hundreds of people were killed inside a train, the Pakistani government has not refrained from such rhetoric. They fail to realize the extent of destruction caused by nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and that if a nuclear war were to occur between India and Pakistan, ordinary citizens in Pakistan would suffer just as much damage as the people of India. It is clear that such weapons of mass destruction are not in anyone’s interest and should be completely abolished.

Tension between India and Pakistan has existed for a long time. Whenever there is peace for a short while, some incident occurs that reignites the tension. The recent incident in Pahalgam is one such example. India should have collected solid evidence that the terrorists came from Pakistan and presented it to the world. However, the government failed to do so and has not yet explained how the terrorists reached there so far from the border, and why there were no security arrangements in place at that time. Similar accusations were leveled against the government in the case of the Pulwama incident. The Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Satpal Malik, had also made such allegations against the Indian government.

It is also noteworthy that Asif Munir made this statement from American soil. This in itself raises the question of what role the United States is playing in this situation. First, Trump invited Asif Munir, hosted him for lunch, and, after such rhetoric on American soil, has said nothing in response. On the other hand, without any evidence, the U.S. accused Iran of converting its nuclear program into producing nuclear weapons, attacked it directly, and also had Israel carry out attacks.

Whether America’s inclination towards Pakistan is linked to Trump’s business interests or other geopolitical reasons, only they can tell. Now, the point to watch is the direction that relations between India, Pakistan, and China will take. But the danger is certainly there. The situation for heightened tension between India and Pakistan has now arisen, and both countries will suffer from it. South Asia is already an economically weak region, and with such rhetoric, the arms race will only intensify, adversely affecting development work, especially in sectors such as health and education that are vital for public welfare.

In such a situation, there is a great responsibility on the citizens’ groups of both countries. Ordinary citizens want peace, not war. This is evident even from the four-day war between India and Pakistan. Therefore, the people of India and Pakistan should jointly call for peace. If they cannot meet in each other’s countries, they should meet in a third country to hold events and discussions, and condemn any statement from any country’s military or political leader advocating war, especially the use of nuclear weapons. They should come out with strategies for lasting peace.

It is essential to declare South Asia a nuclear-free zone. India, Pakistan, and China are all nuclear powers, and tensions persist between them. If these tensions are not resolved, the situation could become catastrophic at any time. After the Pahalgam incident, both countries should have tried in some way to sit down together, but instead, both have taken steps to worsen the situation, prioritizing their internal politics over peace. (IPA Service)

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