Extremism Updates

08-Feb-2020

According to reports, Pakistan’s National Assembly was informed that a proposal for allowing passport-free entry for Sikh pilgrims to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur was under consideration, in order to attract more visitors. Interior Minister Ijaz Shah said that a proposal for entry without passport, in order to attract more visitors, was under consideration, for which detailed input might be sought from the Foreign Affairs Ministry.


07-Feb-2020

The management authority of Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara has lifted ban on Muslims for partaking langar at this historic Sikh shrine in Pakistan. The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) president Satwant Singh informed that now all the non-Sikh pilgrims can also pay obeisance and partake langar at Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib but they would have to cover their heads while entering into the Gurdwara premises.


06-Feb-2020

Pakistan media and government have kept their silence over the killing of KLF chief Harmeet Singh alias Happy PhD. Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) president Satwant Singh denied any knowledge about Harmeet’s killing or any Sikh outside Gurudwara Bebe Nanaki. “These are canards and there is not an iota of truth in them,” he said.


02-Feb-2020

According to some sources, the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) leader, Harmeet Singh alias Happy PhD was murdered over an alleged illicit affair with a married Muslim woman from Pakistan. The sources said, Harmeet Singh was having an affair with a Pakistani woman from some time and did not pay heed to warnings from the family members of his paramour after their relation became an 'open secret'. "Earlier it was believed that Happy was killed in a gang war over drug money. He might have been killed over an illicit affair. The woman was a close relative of a Pakistani drug lord. He used to visit the family regularly and later developed intimate relations with the woman. Woman's family knew about their affair and had asked him to maintain a distance from the woman", sources added.


29-Jan-2020

According to reports, though the parents of killed Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) ‘chief’ Harmeet Singh alias Happy PhD in Amritsar want Pakistan to return his body for cremation, Pakistan won’t agree with this as the Khalistani terrorist was living under fake identity at Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. According to the documents. His parents, father Avtar Singh and mother Khushbir Kaur, live in Chheharta area in Amritsar, Punjab. However, his Pakistan documents identify him as 37-year-old Bhupinder Singh. According to his identity card, given to him according to security officials by Pakistan’s deep state, Happy was Bhupinder Singh, son of Sant Singh, Mohalla Balila Nard, Gurudwara Pati Saheb, Nankana Saheb. His religious identity card, which shows his date of birth as December 12, 1983, was valid till May 31, 2024.


29-Jan-2020

According to Pakistani private news channels, Pakistan’s intelligence agencies had countered Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)’s (India’s intelligence agency) plan to launch a terror attack along the route of the Kartarpur Corridor, through which India had wanted to incite Sikhs to carry out anti-Pakistan activities. However, India did not react to Pakistan’s claim.


29-Jan-2020

According to local sources, the slain Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) ‘chief’ Harmeet Singh alias Happy PhD was cremated at Babu Sabu Chowk cremation ground in Lahore in the presence of fellow Khalistani extremist Lakhbir Singh Rode, the ‘chief’ of International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) on January 29. A superintendent-rank police officer and the Station House Officer of the Dera Chahal station were also present at the cremation ground where Happy PhD was discreetly cremated, sources said.


28-Jan-2020

The Pakistani media did not report a word on the killing of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) ‘chief’ Harmeet Singh alias Happy PhD apparently because of the sensitivity attached to the matter, sources said. He was reportedly killed near Dera Chahal Gurudwara on the outskirts of Lahore in Pakistan on January 27. According to local sources, the body of slain militant was not shifted to any of the Lahore’s morgue for autopsy and there was no FIR registered over his murder. Sources said, "We have been asked not to pursue this case. Therefore, no FIR has been registered in the murder of Harmeet Singh."The law enforcement agencies have cordoned off the area near the Gurudwara in Burki since January 27 and no one including journalists were allowed to visit there. It was also reported that he was shot dead by a local gang over financial disputes related to drug smuggling.


27-Jan-2020

According to sources, the ‘chief’ of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), Harmeet Singh alias Happy PhD was reportedly killed by a local gang over financial disputes stemming from drug smuggling at the Dera Chahal Gurudwara near Lahore in Pakistan. Harmeet Singh was wanted in India in several cases, and involved in the smuggling of weapons and drugs from Pakistan. He was also allegedly involved in the targeted killing of Hindu leaders in Punjab in 2016-2017. The Interpol, acting on India’s request, in October 2018, issued red corner notice against Harmeet Singh along with seven other Khalistani terrorists based in different countries. He was a resident of Chheharta in Amritsar, Punjab in India and he was living in Pakistan for the last two decades.


22-Jan-2020

According to sources, prominent Sikh leader and a minority rights activist, Radesh Singh Tony, along with his family from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, left Pakistan due to threats to his life and is likely to take asylum in India. He has been targeted by Islamist extremists and has received threats several times. He has also been critical of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and complaining about the deteriorating law and order situation in Pakistan.


21-Jan-2020

According to reports, a prominent Sikh political leader in Pakistan, Radesh Singh Tony was forced to leave the country after receiving threats to his life. Radesh Singh Tony, the president of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Pakistan Minorities Alliance, was allegedly tortured by some unidentified people last month when he was passing through the Kacha Jail Road along with his son. He was the first minority member in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to contest the national elections, who had contested the 2018 general elections from Peshawar as an independent candidate.


11-Jan-2020

The Pakistan government denied visa to a Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) delegation to visit Nankana Sahib, after Gurudwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib was vandalised by a mob. SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal said that “Denial of visa is not fair. The Pakistan government should review its decision. The SGPC will again move to the Pakistan embassy to request it to grant visa to the delegation.”


09-Jan-2020

According to Pakistan Police, the murder of Sikh youth Parvinder has been solved and his 18-year-old fiancée, Prem Kumari, has been arrested for her alleged involvement in plotting the murder. A senior security official said that it was a “contract killing” paid for by Prem Kumari, who didn’t want to marry Parvinder, who lived in the remote Shangla district of the province.


08-Jan-2020

According to Indian intelligence reports, nearly a dozen pilgrims who had gone on pilgrimage to Kartarpur Sahib through the Kartarpur corridor have reported the loss of their mobile phones on their return to India. Intelligence agencies suspects that ISI spies may be trying to steal the mobile phones of Indian pilgrims to get to know their contacts, e-mail accounts and other data. “The stolen data provides them direct access to a large number of people and it has always been the endeavour of ISI to win over soft targets through various allurements,” said sources.


08-Jan-2020

A video of Harmeet Singh, brother of the Sikh youth killed in Pakistan emerged on social media. In the video Harmeet Singh said: "My name is Harmeet Singh and I am the first Sikh news anchor in Pakistan and a journalist. It has been more than three days that my brother was murdered but nobody from Pakistan government or ministry of minority affairs has issued any statement on this incident nor did anyone tried contacting me. More than three days have passed but no action has been taken by the police here and nobody has been arrested yet."


06-Jan-2020

Pakistan’s National Council of Peoples’ Commission for Minorities Rights (PCMR), in a statement said that the threat to violence in Nankana Sahib by a mob, the killing of Sikh young man Parvinder Singh in Peshawar, and a gathering eulogizing the assassin Mumtaz Qadri on the death anniversary of Governor Salman Taseer in Karachi are extremely disturbing developments which should be taken seriously, and called upon the government to take urgent action to address the underlying causes of these manifestations.


05-Jan-2020

The controversial pro-Khalistan supporter Gopal Singh Chawla was given free access to meet Indian pilgrims at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartapur Sahib complex during the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) organized celebrations to mark the birth anniversary of Sikhs’ tenth master Guru Gobind Singh. According to sources, Pakistan’s Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) allowed Chawla to lead the functions, address the gathering and meet Indian pilgrims.


05-Jan-2020

A 25-year-old Sikh man, identified as Parvendar Singh, was allegedly murdered in Peshawar in Pakistan. His body was found in the Chamkani Police Station area in Peshawar. However, the alleged killer has not been identified yet. The victim was the brother of a journalist, Harmeet Singh, Pakistan’s first Sikh journalist in electronic media.


05-Jan-2020

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the recent incident of vandalism at the Nankana Sahib, saying it goes against his “vision” and the government will show “zero tolerance” against those involved in it.


05-Jan-2020

The man, identified as Imran Ali Chishti, who issued threats to Sikhs and led a mob on January 3 that pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, was arrested and charged with a non-bailable section of Pakistan’s anti-terrorism act.


04-Jan-2020

Pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Singh Chawla was spotted at the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan, amid the tense situation at the site. Visuals show while a Sikh leader addressing the media declaring that there will be no unscheduled protests as it was their own land, Chawla who was seen standing behind him instructing the media to shut their cameras.


04-Jan-2020

Pakistan said that what happened at the birthplace of Guru Nanak, Nankana Sahib involved two Muslim groups and attempts to paint it as communal were “patently motivated”.


04-Jan-2020

Dal Khalsa, while condemning the ‘hooliganism’ at Nankana Sahib, urged Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to take an official stand on the unfortunate incident that has severely hurt millions of followers of Guru Nanak Dev ji. Dal Khalsa Spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh, said “I said that one insane person spewing venom against Sikh religion should not become a reason for hindrance in the cementing of Sikh-Muslim brotherhood.”


03-Jan-2020

An angry mob of Muslim residents of Nankana Sahib stormed Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the birth place of Sikh’s first master Guru Nanak Dev in Pakistan. According to reports, local Muslim protesters were resentful of Sikhs’ opposition to the alleged ‘forced’ conversion of a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur to Islam and her marriage to a Muslim boy.


10-Sep-2019

According to reports, Pakistan's ISI held a high-level meeting with many terror groups including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), and Khalistani Zindabad Force (KZF) in Islamabad to plan its nefarious activities against India.The closed-door meeting in Islamabad was also attended by some other Pro-Khalistan terror groups.


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06-Feb-2024

According to reports, the Sikh Federation UK (SFUK), which aims to advocate for Sikh identity in the United Kingdom (UK) census, is facing scrutiny for its perceived disconnect from Sikh principles. Recent reports highlight a decline in the exclusive identification as 'Sikh' ethnicity, casting doubt on SFUK's agenda. The organization's promotion of Khalistan and its hostility towards Lord Indarjit Singh's stance on census classification raise concerns about its alignment with extremist factions and its commitment to Sikh values. It is imperative for mainstream Sikhs to reclaim the narrative, prioritize genuine educational efforts, and safeguard the essence of Sikhism from misappropriation by fringe elements within SFUK.


03-Feb-2024

According to reports, the case of Jagtar Singh Johal, a United Kingdom (UK) citizen imprisoned in India since November 2017 on allegations of being a Khalistani operative, has become a point of contention between the UK and India, impacting bilateral relations. Johal faces multiple charges, including murder and terrorism, and UK officials are pushing for a swift resolution. Despite regular consular visits, his family and lawyers argue that there is no concrete evidence against him, claiming he was merely an internet marketer. Meanwhile, his associates are actively campaigning through media, political lobbying, and international organizations for his release.


28-Jan-2024

A meeting is scheduled to take place on January 30 after Preet Kaur Gill, a Member of Parliament (MP) from the United Kingdom (UK) Labour Party, raised concerns about an 'intelligence hit list,' which targets 20 Sikhs, including six British Sikhs, who have been labelled as enemies of the state by Indian media. According to reports, some Sikh activists have received Osman warnings due to threats, harassment, and intimidation. There are fears of transnational repression following evidence linking the Indian government to the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Both the Indian embassy in London and the UK government have declined to comment on the matter.


28-Jan-2024

Ancient House Museum has been awarded nearly GBP 200,000 in grant by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to mark the legacy of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last ruler of the Sikh empire, in Thetford in Norfolk in the United Kingdom (UK). Founded in 1924 by Prince Frederick Duleep Singh, the museum will use the grant to narrate the family's story through various displays.


26-Jan-2024

On January 26, India's Republic Day, members of the Khalistani terrorist outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) staged a protest in London, United Kingdom (UK), calling for Punjab's independence and denouncing the policies of Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi. Paramjit Singh Pamma, an SFJ leader, reaffirmed their commitment to resist Modi's regime and strive for independence.


23-Jan-2024

According to sources, Human Rights barrister Michael Polak, who was involved in both the Litvinenko case and the death of Khalistani terrorist Avtar Singh Khanda in Birmingham, United Kingdom (UK), has urged the UK Home Secretary to investigate Khanda's sudden demise. While West Midlands Police cited acute myeloid leukaemia as the cause of death, Polak suspects foul play, pointing to alleged negligence in the police investigation. Khanda, a supporter of the Khalistan movement, faced threats from Indian security services, leading to suspicions of potential poisoning linked to his activism. The family was denied access to the body, and a RAW agent allegedly left the UK after Khanda's death. West Midlands Police maintains it was a natural death.


18-Jan-2024

According to reports, a cross-party group of United Kingdom (UK) Members of Parliament, including Labour MPs Preet Kaur Gill, Afzal Khan, and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi; Conservative Caroline Nokes; and SNP's Kirsten Oswald and Martin Docherty-Hughes, have urgently requested a meeting with Security Minister Tom Tugendhat via a letter. The request follows reports of "threat to life warnings" given to British Sikhs amid rising concerns about their treatment globally by the Indian government. The letter cites instances such as the alleged extrajudicial killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and a plot to assassinate another Khalistani terrorist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in the United States (US). The MPs seek reassurance and discuss measures to protect the British Sikh community from unlawful threats.


14-Jan-2024

According to sources, Sikhs living in the United Kingdom (UK) have reportedly received Osman notices, in which West Midlands police warn of a 'threat to life' against them, amid heightened tensions over the separatist movement in India. The warning follows calls for a deeper investigation into the sudden death of Khalistani terrorist Avtar Singh Khanda in Birmingham, UK, in June 2023. Sikh leaders in Britain cautioned that the Indian government is suppressing dissent within the diaspora.


13-Jan-2024

According to reports, British Sikh activist Kaldip Singh Lehal alias Deepa Singh, was detained at Gatwick Airport in London, United Kingdom (UK), under Section 7 of the Terrorism Act on December 25, 2023. He claimed that he was targeted for his activism. Singh, who had previously faced home raids in 2018, alleged the suppression of voices critical of UK-India collusion in Sikh repression. Counter Terrorism Policing South East confirmed the stop but didn't disclose details or confirm Singh's identity.


04-Jan-2024

United Kingdom (UK) Sikh Member of Parliament (MP) Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi hosted a meeting with his Canadian counterpart, Iqwinder Singh Gaheer, in Slough, UK. Discussions covered various aspects of international politics, global Sikh concerns, and opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties. Both MPs emphasized the importance of cross-border dialogue, committing to ongoing constructive engagements for the betterment of their communities and fostering stronger ties between Canada and the UK.


03-Jan-2024

According to sources, Neil O’Brien, a Senior Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) representing Harborough and a former minister, has written to the United Kingdom (UK) Home Secretary James Cleverly expressing concern over the death of Khalistani terrorist Avtar Singh Khanda in Birmingham in 2023. O'Brien questions the lack of a thorough investigation by West Midlands police, despite initial claims of an inquiry.


20-Dec-2023

The family of Khalistani terrorist Avtar Singh Khanda urged the United Kingdom (UK) Home Office to appoint an independent police force to investigate his sudden death in June which coincided with Sikh separatist incidents in Canada and the United States (US), as revealed by Khanda’s family lawyer, Michael Polak. According to Polak, questions about the West Midlands police's handling of the case have arisen, leading the family to request the involvement of another police force.


15-Dec-2023

According to a report published on December 15 by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in the 2021 census for England and Wales in the United Kingdom (UK), nearly 1 lakh respondents identified as Sikh in the "ethnicity" category instead of choosing "British Indian." Of the total, 18.6% identified as Sikh through both the ethnic and religion questions, 0.3% through only the ethnic question, and 81.1% through the voluntary religion question. The total number of Sikhs in England and Wales increased by 22% from the 2011 census, reaching 5.25 lakh, with concerns raised about the accuracy of the count by the Sikh Federation UK.


08-Dec-2023

On December 8, a 34-year-old man of Punjab origin, Joshpal Singh Kothiria, who was part of a four-member drug smuggling gang, was sentenced to three years in prison in the United Kingdom (UK). The Wolverhampton Crown Court in Wolverhampton, UK, convicted him of conspiring to supply cocaine and cannabis from the Netherlands to the UK and Ireland. The gang, busted by the National Crime Agency (NCA), included Anthony Terry, who organized the drug importation, leading to the seizure of GBP 1.6 million worth of cocaine in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in February 2021.


04-Dec-2023

A 58-year-old Sikh man, Inderjit Singh, was assaulted on December 4 in a hate crime by a group of teenage boys in Slough, United Kingdom (UK). The incident occurred in Langley Memorial Park, where Singh was kicked, pulled to the ground, and his beard was attempted to be grabbed by offenders aged 13-16. Singh sustained three broken ribs and injuries to his hand. The Thames Valley Police are treating the case as a hate crime and are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.


04-Dec-2023

According to a report by the United Kingdom (UK) daily The Guardian released on December 4, Khalistani terrorist Avtar Singh Khanda, who was based in the UK, claimed harassment by Indian police and threats to his family in Punjab before his sudden death in June. The report indicates that Khanda's associates suspected foul play in his death, suggesting poisoning. The Guardian's investigation questions the West Midlands police's initial statement, highlighting alleged lapses in the probe.


26-Nov-2023

United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister (PM) Rishi Sunak on November 26 extended Guru Nanak Jayanti wishes, acknowledging his personal connection to the occasion as someone with Punjabi roots. Sunak praised the significant contributions of the Sikh community to the UK, expressing pride and inspiration. Born to a Hindu Punjabi family with ties to Ludhiana and pre-Partition Gujranwala, Sunak emphasized the celebration of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's 554th birth anniversary.


19-Nov-2023

Sikh Member of Parliament (MP) Tanmanjit Singh Dhesi recently received death threats after abstaining from voting on a resolution regarding the Gaza-Israel conflict in the United Kingdom (UK). One person has been arrested in connection with the death threats.


17-Nov-2023

The Metropolitan Police on November 17 arrested four British Sikh men, identified as Amandeep Singh, Manjit Singh, Ajmeer Singh, and Poran Singh in connection with the murder of British Sikh teenager Simarjeet Singh Nangpal in London, United Kingdom (UK). They are scheduled to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on November 18.


16-Nov-2023

The Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM), Dr S Jaishankar, on November 16 delivered a stern warning to the United Kingdom (UK) government at a press conference held at the High Commission of India in London, UK. He cautioned against the misuse of freedom of expression by Khalistani extremists to threaten diplomatic missions, specifically referencing incidents involving the Indian High Commission.


15-Nov-2023

A 17-year-old British Sikh teenager, identified as Simarjeet Singh Nangpal, was stabbed to death in a street fight near the Hounslow area of London in the United Kingdom (UK) on November 15. In connection with the murder, four individuals aged 21, 27, 31, and 71 have been arrested. To address community concerns, there is a heightened police presence in the area.


15-Nov-2023

During the visit of Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar to the United Kingdom (UK), which concluded on November 15, Jaishankar raised India's concerns about the misuse of freedom of expression by those propagating Khalistan in meetings with UK officials. The visit emphasized the importance of addressing these concerns while strengthening bilateral ties and touched upon various global and regional issues, including ongoing free trade agreement negotiations and cricket diplomacy.


15-Nov-2023

The Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on November 15 stated that India is open to an investigation but urged Canada to provide evidence supporting its allegations of Indian government involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, during a conversation with veteran journalist Lionel Barber titled 'How a Billion People See the World' in London, United Kingdom (UK). Jaishankar emphasized that Canada has not shared any evidence to date.


11-Nov-2023

Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on November 11 embarked on a five-day visit to the United Kingdom (UK) to review bilateral ties, including preparations for a potential visit to India by British Prime Minister (PM) Rishi Sunak. The countries share a growing partnership, highlighted by the 2021 launch of the India-UK comprehensive strategic partnership and the India-UK Roadmap 2030.


07-Nov-2023

Top lawyers in the United Kingdom (UK) have urged Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad to retract his statement that British Sikh Jagtar Singh Johal, detained in India since 2017 on terror charges, would receive 'due process' in the Indian legal system. They express concerns over the lack of due process, citing allegations of torture and politically motivated charges. Johal faces a potential death penalty and has been held without credible evidence, prompting calls for his immediate release by more than 70 MPs, while the UK government continues to provide consular assistance and raise his case with the Indian government.


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