KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
21-Apr-2021
According to media reports, the Sikh community in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) of Pakistan is facing troubles as the members of the community are once again receiving calls from extortionists. A local Sikh trader who has a cosmetics shop in the Karkhano Market recently received a call from Afghan numbers asking him to pay ‘charity money’ to the militants. The businessman has received two calls for extortion in a short span of two days and is being threatened with dire consequences if he failed to pay up. The Hayatabad police have opened an inquiry into the case.
20-Apr-2021
Pakistan’s Punjab Government has issued a resolution which defines the Government’s position towards the Sikh community and puts in a strong plea for the maintenance of cordial relations between the Sikhs and the Government.
19-Apr-2021
Sikh pilgrims celebrated the 322nd Baisakhi Mela at Gurudwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur. Around 818 Sikhs from India came to border town Kartarpur through the corridor in a procession. Other than India, pilgrims from Pakistan, Dubai, the US and Canada were also participated in the Baisakhi festival.
14-Feb-2021
Six packets of heroin weighing 6.38 kilograms were recovered from the India-Pakistan border in Amritsar District.
11-Feb-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested a drug peddler, identified as Mandeep Singh, near Attari along the International Border (IB) with Pakistan in Amritsar District. During search across the barbed fencing, the personnel recovered 10 packets containing 10.7 kilograms of heroin. When challenged, the BSF men heard sounds cocking of weapons and opened fire in self-defence. Mandeep was injured while his accomplice fled from the spot. During search, the BSF found heroin in a bag.
13-Jan-2021
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 12 kilograms of heroin, worth INR 600 million in the international market, near India-Pakistan International Border (IB) in Amritsar district. “We seized 12 packets of the contraband near the border fence. The area is manned by 88 Bn, BSF, Amritsar sector. A 13-foot-long PVC pipe was also found there. It was probably used to push packets across the border. No arrest has been made so far,” a BSF official said.
17-Dec-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead two militants near the Attari area along the India-Pakistan International Border (IB) in Amritsar District. The armed Pakistani militants were attempting to infiltrate into the Indian side of the border when they were gunned down. Their identities are yet to be ascertained
05-Dec-2020
The Border Security Force (BSF) recovered five packets of heroin weighing 5.360 kilograms along the Indo-Pakistan border at Ferozepur sector of Ferozepur District.
27-Aug-2020
The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) invited Sikh pilgrims from India to offer ''Jyoti Jyot Gurpurab'' prayers at the historic Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Punjab province of Pakistan next month.
26-Aug-2020
In a first, the ‘jyoti jot’ diwas (death anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev would be observed at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, on September 22. The decision was taken during a meeting of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).
05-Aug-2020
Some Sikh religious and political leaders in Pakistan came out in the open to exhort the community to ‘help’ militant movements in Kashmir. Messages were delivered to the Pakistani Sikh community on August 5, which is being observed as Youm-i-Istehsal (the day of exploitation) in Pakistan. The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSPGC) president Satwant Singh in his video message said that supporting Kashmiris in their “cause” is their duty, which they would continue to perform. He claimed that Kashmiris are being subjected to atrocities and denied their rights. “Sikhs have been helping the oppressed and it is time for the Sikhs to help Kashmiris,” he said.
04-Aug-2020
The Sikh bodies in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including Sikh Intellectuals Circle J&K, International Sikh Federation, Sikh Students Federation and Sikh Youths of J&K said that the entire Sikh community had decided to observe 5th August as Siege Day. They demanded restoration of special status of Jammu and Kashmir and release of all Kashmiri political detainees.
28-Jul-2020
According to reports, after the refusal by Canadian government to recognize Sikhs For Justice (SFJ)’s Referendum 2020 campaign, there is likelihood that Pakistan government could also rebuff SFJ to continue with its anti-India agenda from its soil. Pakistan has earlier declined SFJ’s request to hold registration for Referendum 2020 among Indian Sikhs who had gone there with Sikh jatha to celebrate Baisakhi last year (2019). The President of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) Satwant Singh disassociated himself with SFJ, its Referendum 2020 campaign and its legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and said that PSGPC had not received any request to hold any function with regards to Referendum 2020 in any of the gurdwaras. “Let the request come then we will discuss in the meeting and take appropriate decisions”, he said. Another senior Sikh leader from Lahore who didn’t wish to give his name said that “We will not allow SFJ to hold any function or the voters registration for Sikhs of Pakistan, we (Pakistani Sikhs) will not be the part of his personal agenda, even our local Pakistani friends have started asking us whether we will betray with Pakistan for Khalistan”.
28-Jul-2020
Sikhs in Pakistan want the Imran Khan government to deal with those staking claim over the historical Gurdwara Shaheedi Asthan in Lahore at its own level and restore confidence among minorities. Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) president Satwant Singh said, that “Sikhs across the world are sad to hear the news about Gurdwara Shaheed Bhai Taru Singh. The vision of the Pakistan government, especially Prime Minister Imran Khan, is to promote peace and brotherhood. The incident that happened at Shaheedi Asthan is the act of an individual. There is a plot behind the gurdwara, which is a property of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETBP). They plan to grab that plot. This is wrong and can’t be tolerated.” Meanwhile, the ETPB, a Pakistan government body under which the PSGPC works, has lodged a complaint against Suhail Butt Attari, who is seen intimidating the Sikh community in Pakistan.
26-Jul-2020
An activist of Dawat-e-Islami (Beraillwi), who is also a caretaker of Mazar of Muslim prophet Hazrat Shah Kaku Chesti in Lahore has threatened the minority Sikh community saying that Pakistan is an Islamic nation that belongs to Muslims. In a video, Sohail Butt, who also runs a shop in Landa Bazar, along with some local activists have occupied the land of Gurudwara Shaheed Bhai Taru Singh and has threatened Gopal Singh Chawla, the former chief of Pakistan Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (PGPC) who hoisted Shri Nishan Sahib (a Sikh symbol) at the Gurudwara last year. Sohail claims that the land on which Gurudwara Shaheed Bhai Taru Singh and its adjoining 4-5 kanals of Gurudwara land belong to Mazar of Muslim prophet Hazrat Shah Kaku Chesti and adjoining Masjid Shaheed Ganj.
22-Jul-2020
The Baluchistan government handed over a 200-year-old Gurudwara to the Sikh community. The Siri Guru Singh Gurdwara located on Masjid Road in the centre of the city has been used as APWA Government High Girls School for 73 years since the creation of Pakistan in 1947.
16-Jul-2020
Gopal Singh Chawla, a Khalistani activist based in Pakistan, issued a video statement threatening former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjit Singh GK for leading the protest outside Pakistan high commission in New Delhi.
13-Jul-2020
According to officials, Pakistan government laid a 16,000 feet artificial turf in the courtyard of the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara to facilitate bare-footed pilgrims walk on the marble floor in the scorching heat.
29-Jun-2020
Pakistan reopened the Kartarpur Corridor more than three months after it was temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but no Indian pilgrim visited the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. "Pakistan today opened the Kartarpur Corridor. However, no Indian pilgrim visited it,” Evacuee Trust Property Board Deputy (ETPB) Director Imran Khan said.
27-Jun-2020
Pakistan decided to reopen Kartarpur Corridor for all the Sikh pilgrims on June 29, 2020, on the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, announced by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Twitter on June 27. He underscored that Pakistan is conveying to the Indian side its readiness to reopen the corridor. The corridor was temporarily closed on March 16 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure that necessary precautions are taken, Pakistan has invited India to discuss standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the reopening.
25-Jun-2020
Nankana Sahib Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur alias Ayesha Bibi’s statement couldn’t be recorded in the Lahore high court once again after the couple reportedly requested to transfer their case to another judge.
21-Jun-2020
Pakistan’s former Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique offended Sikh sentiments by dubbing the great Sikh emperor Maharaja Ranjit Singh as a profligate, dacoit and looter. He also leveled allegations of desecrating and looting mosques on Maharaja Ranjit Singh. “Ranjit Singh Ayash was a dacoit looter ruler who openly desecrated Muslim faith mosques and Sufi shrines, looted heavily and forcibly imposed Sikh beliefs. Established oppressive Dogra rule over Kashmir,” reads the English translation of Khawaja Saad Rafique’s tweet.
21-Jun-2020
Reacting to Khawaja Saad Rafique’s derogatory statement on Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Pakistani Sikh leader Gopal Singh Chawla said that Khawaja Saad Rafique was trying to earn political mileage and hide his failures by leveling baseless allegations on the great Sikh ruler. Chawla, while recalling the tenure of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, said that no one got capital punishment during his four decades-long regime.
21-Jun-2020
The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) president Satwant Singh said that, “The words used by the former railway minister are highly objectionable. The Sikh community in Pakistan and the gurdwara management committee strongly condemn these words.”
11-Jun-2020
Due to the covid19 pandemic, this year, the Sikh community in Pakistan will quietly mark the death anniversaries of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Guru Arjan Dev. The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) Secretary-General, Sardar Amir Singh said that “Due to the Covid-19 virus, the Sikh community will mark the death anniversaries of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Guru Arjan Dev in the most simple manner.” According to sources, Sikh pilgrims from all over the world, including India, will not be able to take part in the religious ceremonies to mark the important events on the Nanakshahi Calendar this month.
26-May-2020
The World Sikh Parliament (WSP) released two videos, one in English and one in Punjabi, with advice for Gurudwaras around the world on considerations they should take when reopening their doors to the Sangat after the lockdown.
25-May-2020
A Pakistani man, who attacked the Guru Arjan Dev shrine in Derby in Derbyshire, UK was arrested on May 25 morning. The Gurudwara described the vandalization of the shrine as a hate crime. The vandal left a hand-written note in broken English on a piece of paper in the Gurudwara, making an appeal to Sikhs to ‘help people in Kashmir’. Interestingly, besides scribbling ‘Pak Allah Pak’' in a corner of the paper, he had also provided a phone number. According to sources, Police later identified the man and arrested him.
06-May-2020
Despite a long-running campaign by some sections of the Sikh community, the House of Commons approved the draft census order for England and Wales on May 6 night without an ethnic Sikh tick-box in the ethnicity section. In response to the question asking their ethnic group, the British Sikh will have the option of ticking Asian/Asian British and then whether Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, or any other Asian background (stating which), or they can write in Sikh.
26-Apr-2020
The Sikh Federation UK (SFUK) threatened the Scottish government with legal action claiming discrimination for failing to include a tick-box response option for Sikhs in the ethnicity section of its proposed census. The federation claims that this contravenes the European Convention of Human Rights, EU law and the Equality Act 2010.
13-Apr-2020
Vaisakhi will not be marked with the customary large gatherings and melas in different parts of the UK this year as the community is urged to stay safe amid the coronavirus pandemic, with all events cancelled. Meanwhile, Prince Charles issued a video message to convey his “lakh lakh vaidhaiyan” to the Sikh community in the UK and across the Commonwealth on the occasion of Vaisakhi and praised the “selfless service” of the British-Sikh community in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
08-Mar-2020
British Pakistani and Kashmiri community held a protest outside Indian High Commission in London on March 8 afternoon. The protest was organized by Global Pakistan and Kashmir Supreme Council (UK) and the participants also raised slogans for freedom of Kashmir and Khalistan from Indian subjugation.
23-Feb-2020
UK based KLF militants had assembled to discuss the future course of the group after the death of Happy PHD. A total of eight persons, Gursharanvir Singh, Amritveer Singh, Avtar Singh Khandaand Amanveer Singh, attended the meeting. Gursharanvir vouched for himself citing his close ties with former KLF ‘chiefs’ -Happy PhD, Mintooo. While asking to avoid Italian and swiss contender he called for the continuation of violent activities.
17-Feb-2020
Pakistani human rights activists and members of the Indian community continued their protest for the second day on February 17 outside the Pakistan High Commission in London seeking justice for the minor Hindu girl, Mehak Kumari who was forcibly converted to Islam and married to a Muslim man in Sindh. She was abducted by a man, Ali Raza, from the Jacobabad district of Sindh province on January 15. The girl said she was forced to accept Islam, causing a widespread furor among the Islamic fanatics.
16-Feb-2020
The Indian diaspora in the UK in collaboration with Lalkar Social Forum and other Pakistani human rights activists staged a protest outside the Pakistan High Commission in London seeking justice for the minor Hindu girl, Mehak Kumari who was abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and married to a Muslim man in Sindh.
26-Jan-2020
The Scotland Yard provided strict security around the Indian high commission building in London and prevented recurrence of violence as protesters raised anti-India slogans and separatist demands related to Khalistan and Kashmir. According to report, only less than 1,000 people attended the much-hyped anti-India protest. After the diplomatic pressure from India, British authorities took adequate measures, including mounted police and cameras to record and identify protesters.
24-Jan-2020
Around 15,000 British Kashmiris plan to attend the protest outside the Indian high commission building in London on January 26 as India celebrates Republic Day. The protest, which starts at 1 pm was called by the groups like Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and the World Sikh Parliament. Pro-Khalistan Sikhs, British Pakistanis and Britons who originate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are expected to take part in the protest..
23-Jan-2020
According to reports, protesters have been mobilizing people in large numbers to join the agitation outside the Indian embassy in London and burn copies of the Indian Constitution on January 26. Some pro-Khalistan fringe groups are also joining hands with Pakistani groups in the protest. Messages are widely circulated using various social media platforms inviting ‘like-minded’ people to join and burn the Indian Constitution, report said.
22-Jan-2020
The High Commissioner of India in London Ruchi Ghanshyam, in a call with the Home Secretary of UK Priti Patel, expressed concerns over the planned protest outside the High Commission of India (HCI) in which Indian Constitution is supposed to be burnt on the day India celebrates its Republic Day on January 26. Indian diaspora in UK too requested to various UK authorities to ban the protest.
20-Jan-2020
The World Sikh Parliament (WSP) announced that they will support the anti-India protest being organised by the Tehreek-e-Kashmir (TeK) UK chapter on the occasion of India’s Republic Day on January 26, outside the Indian High Commission in London. The WSP spokesperson, Ranjeet Singh declared that “We are with the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) who have been incarcerated by the government of India since August 5, 2019. In this situation we will join the TeK UK’s anti-India protest in front of the IHC in London.” Earlier, TeK announced the protest outside Indian High Commission in London and to observe the Republic Day as ‘Black Day’ across the world.
19-Jan-2020
A UK based NGO, the Sikh Federation UK (SFUK), is joining forces with around 200 Sikh representatives from more than 20 countries to lobby the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a “Rwanda-style” international tribunal to investigate crimes during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The chairman of SFUK, Bhai Amrik Singh said that ““Our experiences from the last 35 years and this latest report [Justice SN Dhingra Committee Report] shows the police, politicians, and judiciary in India are corrupt to the core and the wheels of justice hardly turn. It is therefore impossible to secure justice within the Indian system. We are confident in securing the support of the majority of the five members of the UN Security Council. It is the entire Indian machinery that must be put on trial in an international arena.”
17-Jan-2020
According to sources, Indian diplomats and British Indians fear violence and damage to the Indian high commission building in London when up to 5,000 protesters are expected to protest outside it on Republic Day on January 26. The protest named as “Rise for Kashmir” will take place outside the Indian high commission on January 26 from 1 pm to 3 pm. According to the president of Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK, Fahim Kayani, Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and the World Sikh Parliament are the organizers of the protest. However, the British Indians has sent emails to the Metropolitan police and London mayor Sadiq Khan expressing concerns about the security of the mission building and asking for the protest to be moved.
03-Sep-2019
Two persons were arrested on September 4 after Pakistani diaspora along with Khalistanis launched a massive protest outside the Indian High Commission in London on September 3 and broke a window pane, drawing widespread condemnation. UK's metropolitan police in a statement said that “there were two arrests for criminal damage at yesterday’s event outside the Indian High Commission”.
20-Aug-2019
Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to Boris Johnson, his counterpart in the United Kingdom, about New Delhi's displeasure over recent “vandalism and violence” by a large number of Pakistani protesters in front of the Indian High Commission in London.
15-Aug-2019
Violent protest took place outside Indian High Commission in London when protesters carrying ‘Khalistani’ and Kashmiri flags tried to push across the Police line and threw objects targeting Indian Diaspora. The Indian Diaspora was celebrating the Independence Day on August 15. The violent protesters had arrived in London from Birmingham and Nottingham.
15-Aug-2019
According to reports, amid escalating tension between New Delhi and Islamabad British Sikh Association chairman Rami Ranger stated that there will be no investment in Pakistan by the Punjabi diaspora in UK “until relationships between New Delhi (India) and Islamabad (Pakistan) becomes cordial. The relations between the two countries have hit a low with Pakistan downgrading its ties with India after latter scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status earlier this month. In January this year, British Sikh Association had signed a memorandum with Pakistani multinational conglomerate Hashoo Group for development of infrastructure on the Kartarpur Corridor. Ranger had signed the MoU on behalf of British Sikh Association in United Kingdom.
09-Jul-2019
A group of Sikh protesters sporting with "Punjab Referendum 2020" T-shirts and chanting pro-Khalistan slogans were evicted from the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester in United Kingdom (UK) during the World Cup Cricket semi-final match between India and New Zealand. Greater Manchester Police arrested the two of them who were causing disruption and later released.
03-Jul-2019
The UK counter-terrorism Police arrested two British Sikhs in connection with ongoing investigations into ‘allegations of extremist activity in India and fraud offences’ in Birmingham. The arrested individuals were identified as 38-year-old Deepa Singh, who runs the group Sikh Youth UK (SYUK), and a 49-year-old female relative of his.However, the two arrestees were released on bail and will either be charged within 28 days or released pending further investigations.
10-Oct-2018
The British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith said the British Security agencies are investigating the pro-Khalistan activities in regards to the pro-Khalistan campaign held in August 2018 at London’s Trafalgar Square. As the part of investigation conducted by the West Midlands Counterterrorism Unit (WMCU), the British Security agencies searched several properties on September 18 in connection with the allegations of the terrorist offences in the UK, including the activities in relation to Khalistan campaign in India, said Asquith. However, the investigation conducted by WMCU is not directed by either the UK government or the Indian government.
17-Apr-2018
A day ahead of Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s visit to the UK, a video surfaced online featuring ‘most-wanted’ Khalistani terrorist Paramjit Singh Pamma leading a campaign and preaching hate speech against the Indian PM Narendra Modi and Mahatma Gandhi in London, UK, on April 17. In the video, Pamma was surrounded by his associates holding anti-India protest, without any intervention from the UK’s law enforcement agencies.
16-Feb-2014
The UK in its consolidated list of organizations involved in terror activities or terror financing brought out on February 14, 2014, has named ISYF, HM, Babbar Khalsa and Khalistan Zindabad as organizations that require total financial sanctions.