'Beyond proportions...': Pakistan army chief's latest nuclear rhetoric against India

In an address at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, army chief General Asim Munir issued a stark warning to India, claiming Pakistan’s growing military strength could “shatter the misconceived immunity of India’s geographical warspace.” Stressing the risks of escalation in a nuclearised region, Munir cautioned that “there is no space for war.”

Delivering one of his most combative speeches yet, Munir declared that Pakistan had secured a “clear victory” during its brief military confrontation with India in May. According to Dawn, the army chief warned that even a “minor provocation” from India would trigger a “decisive, beyond proportions” response.

"I advise and firmly caution the Indian military leadership that there is no space for war in a nuclearised environment. We will never be intimidated nor coerced by your rhetoric and shall respond decisively beyond proportions to even a minor provocation," Munir said.

He added that the responsibility for any further escalation — and its potentially “catastrophic consequences” for the region — would rest squarely on India.

"Should a fresh wave of hostilities be triggered, Pakistan would respond much beyond the expectations of the initiators. The resulting retributive military and economic losses inflicted will be much beyond the imagination and calculations of the perpetrators of chaos and instability," he said.

Touting Pakistan’s improved strike range and reduced gap between communication and combat zones, Munir warned, “With diminishing distinctions between conflict and communication zones, the reach and lethality of our weapon systems will shatter the misconceived immunity of India’s geographic warspace.”

He emphasised that Pakistan’s retaliatory capabilities could cause “deeply hurting retributive military and economic losses beyond the imagination of the perpetrators.”

Shifting tone midway, Munir claimed that Pakistan had “successfully emerged as a net regional stabiliser” and highlighted closer ties with China, the US, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. He praised Pakistan’s “historic all-weather partnership” with Beijing and credited former US President Donald Trump’s “strategic leadership” for bringing peace to volatile regions.

Munir’s remarks come amid growing internal challenges, with the military facing criticism over a spate of Taliban-led attacks along the Durand Line.

Just a day earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned of the increasing risk of a two-front war, citing rising tensions with Afghanistan and the potential for renewed conflict with India.

“As tensions rise, we cannot rule out the possibility of India engaging in ‘dirty games,’” Asif said in a widely circulated interview, adding that “strong possibilities” exist for such provocations. While withholding specifics, he asserted that “strategies are in place” and that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had been briefed.

A temporary ceasefire with Afghanistan is currently in effect, but Asif expressed doubts about its durability, accusing the Taliban-led government in Kabul of “fighting a proxy war for Delhi.”