Asim Munir threatens India in first address as 'Super General': 'Pakistan's next response will be ...'

Pakistan army chief Asim Munir resorted to familiar war-mongering rhetoric in his very first speech as the new chief of defence staff (CDF), warning India that "Pakistan's response [in case of any aggression] will be even more swift and intense" in the future.

Munir, who is also the Field Marshal and the de-facto head of the country, also issued threats against Afghanistan amid recent cross-border hostilities.

During a ceremony at Pakistan’s General Headquarters, Munir declared that Pakistan’s next response to India would be “much more swift and severe” and warned New Delhi to not be "under any delusion".

“India should not be a victim of any self-deception or assumption, next time Pakistan’s response will be even swifter and more severe," Munir said.

Ironically, Munir repeated the claim that Pakistan is a “peace-loving country,” even while threatening military escalation.

He asserted that no one would be allowed to challenge Pakistan’s sovereignty or resolve, and declared that Pakistan’s identity was “invincible,” thanks to what he described as heroes filled with faith and unity. The messaging focused more on confrontation than on peace, dialogue or regional stability.

In his address, Munir also celebrated the establishment of Pakistan’s new Defence Forces Headquarters (DFHQ), calling it a symbol of a “historic” transformation. He told officers, “In view of the growing and changing threats, it is essential that we further improve multi-domain operations under a unified system of the three services.”

The DFHQ centralises military power under the CDF, giving Munir operational control over the army, navy and air force. Munir tried to downplay concerns of absolute military domination, saying each service would retain its internal autonomy, but the new hierarchy clearly strengthens the Army’s grip over the entire defence establishment.

Munir's anti-India rhetoric

This is not the first time that Munir has resorted to dangerous posturing against India. In the last few months, right since his provocative April 16 speech on the differences between Hindus and Muslims, Munir has used every public platform to threaten or warn India.

In his April speech, seen as a trigger for the deadly Pahalgam attack, Munri called Kashmir as the "jugular vein" of Pakistan and expressed support for the "struggle of Kashmir brother".

In August, Munir resorted to nuclear saber-rattling from US soil, threatening to "take down half the world" and destroy Indian dams on Indus waters with missiles.

In October, he issued warnings of "catastrophic" responses shattering India's "geographical warspace immunity".

Munir was elevated to Field Marshal, Pakistani military's highest rank, following the four-day military escalation during Operation Sindoor.

Warning for Afghanistan

Munir also turned his attention to tensions along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border and issued a harsh warning to the Taliban government in Kabul. He said, “A clear message has been given to the Taliban regime that they have no option but to choose between the tribulation of the Khawarij or Pakistan.”

The statement refers to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Pakistan itself previously used as a strategic asset but now labels as “Fitna al-Khawarij,” a term the Pakistani government officially adopted last year. Instead of acknowledging Pakistan’s historical role in nurturing regional militancy, Munir sought to shift blame entirely onto Afghanistan.