Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir has stirred controversy after falsely claiming that India “begged for a ceasefire” during the recent conflict and that former US President Donald Trump mediated the truce.
Speaking on August 11 at a felicitation event hosted by the Overseas Pakistani Foundation near Brussels, Munir told a 500-strong diaspora gathering that Pakistan forced India to seek a ceasefire after giving a “befitting reply” in the battlefield. Attendees were barred from carrying phones or recording devices.
What Actually Happened
Records show a very different picture. On May 10, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, conveying that Islamabad was requesting a ceasefire after Indian forces struck Pakistan’s Nur Khan air base with BrahMos and SCALP missiles. Jaishankar reportedly made it clear that any formal proposal must come through the Pakistani DGMO, the established channel of communication.
The eventual ceasefire was concluded directly at the DGMO-level, with no US mediation involved, contrary to Munir’s assertions.
Pattern of Exaggeration
This is not the first time Munir has resorted to dramatic claims. During a recent trip to the US, he threatened that Pakistan would “take half the world down” with nuclear weapons if its survival was at stake—remarks India dismissed as dangerous rhetoric.
India’s Rebuttal
The Ministry of External Affairs termed Munir’s latest statements as “nuclear sabre-rattling” and a reflection of Pakistan’s habitual brinkmanship.
“These remarks reinforce global concerns about nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terror groups,” an MEA statement said.
Indian officials also suggested Munir’s bluster may be linked to personal political ambitions, despite his public denials.
