08-Jan-2025
Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation Pakistan Chairman Imtiaz Rasheed Qureshi sent a legal notice on January 8 to Tariq Majeed, Chief Public Relations Officer of the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore and a retired Pakistan armed forces veteran, demanding INR 50 crore in damages and an unconditional apology. The notice accuses Majeed of defaming Qureshi by alleging he received foreign funding and labeling freedom fighter Bhagat Singh as a "criminal." Qureshi, described in the notice as a patriot working to improve India-Pakistan relations, denied taking foreign funds and referenced Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's praise for Bhagat Singh to refute Majeed's remarks.
07-Jan-2025
Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), on January 7 congratulated Pakistan on its election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Pannun urged Pakistan to support the Sikh community's demand for Khalistan, drawing parallels to Pakistan’s advocacy for Kashmir’s self-determination. He claimed that Pakistan's UNSC position could amplify global dialogue on self-determination and commended its stance on Kashmir as a precedent.
31-Dec-2024
A report by The Washington Post on December 31 alleged that India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has carried out a covert assassination program targeting six individuals in Pakistan since 2021. The operations reportedly relied on local intermediaries and informal financial networks to maintain deniability. While the missions in Pakistan were deemed successful, similar attempts in Western nations, including on Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, were reportedly thwarted by advanced counterintelligence measures. The report drew comparisons between RAW's tactics and those of Israel's Mossad, amid public accusations from Pakistan and consistent denials by India.
24-Dec-2024
The Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), a pro-Khalistan militant organization led by Ranjeet Singh alias Neeta, operates in coordination with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to pursue its goal of establishing a sovereign Khalistan state. Banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and in the European Union, KZF has been involved in attacks on public transport, police facilities, and religious leaders in India and abroad. Neeta, declared a terrorist in 2020, is linked to cross-border arms smuggling and faces an Interpol Red Corner Notice.
06-Dec-2024
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on December 6 registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Sikh journalist Harmeet Singh, accusing him of spreading misleading propaganda against state institutions. The FIR alleges that his posts covering the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protests incited violence and terrorism. Harmeet has denied the accusations, citing a lack of evidence and claiming he is being targeted as a minority journalist.
14-Nov-2024
Pakistan Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Secretary Fareed Iqbal, Additional Secretary Shrines Saifullah Khokhar, and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) president Ramesh Singh Arora on November 14 welcomed over 2,550 Sikh pilgrims from India at the Wagah Border. The pilgrims arrived in Pakistan to participate in the festivities celebrating the 555th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, with the main event scheduled at Gurdwara Janamasthan in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan.
10-Nov-2024
According to intelligence sources, the financially struggling Pakistan government has directed the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) to centralise all religious donations ahead of the 555th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev. As part of this move, the PSGPC has reportedly removed donation boxes and billboards from other Sikh organizations, including karsewa groups, at prominent gurdwaras like Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and Gurdwara Punjab Sahib, ensuring that all donations are now routed through PSGPC-designated boxes.
30-Oct-2024
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, on October 30 in Lahore, announced a waiver on visa fees for Sikh pilgrims from the United States (US), Canada, and the United Kingdom (UK).
23-Oct-2024
A spokesperson for the Punjab government in Pakistan announced on October 23 that Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved a distribution of PKR 10,000 to 2,200 Sikh and Hindu families in the province as part of a 'festival card' initiative ahead of Guru Nanak's birth anniversary and Diwali. This financial aid aims to support the celebration of these religious festivals, with special arrangements being made for foreign pilgrims visiting for Guru Nanak Dev's 555th birth anniversary. The government has outlined plans for transport, accommodation, and food services to ensure a smooth experience for the pilgrims.
22-Oct-2024
India and Pakistan on October 22 extended the validity of their agreement on the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for another five years, ensuring uninterrupted access for Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan. India also urged Pakistan to waive the USD 20 service charge imposed on each pilgrim. Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar confirmed the renewal and reaffirmed the government's commitment to facilitating Sikh pilgrims' access to their holy sites.
07-Oct-2024
Ramesh Singh Arora, the first Sikh provincial minister of Pakistan’s Punjab, announced on October 7 that a significant number of Sikh diaspora members are expected to visit Pakistan for Guru Nanak Dev's 555th birth anniversary celebrations. He attributed this to friendly policies, streamlined visa facilitation, and development projects at gurdwaras. Arora, who also heads the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), noted that over 15,000 Sikh pilgrims are anticipated, with overall attendance expected to exceed 60,000.
30-Sep-2024
The government of Pakistan’s Punjab province, along with Punjab's first Sikh minister, Ramesh Singh Arora, on September 30 in Lahore, advised Indian Sikhs visiting the country to carry US dollars instead of Indian currency due to complaints of unfair exchange rates. The advisory was issued following multiple reports of exploitation. Arora also urged Indian Sikhs not to pay extra fees to group leaders during their visits for religious festivities, including the upcoming 555th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev on November 14.
22-Sep-2024
The two-day commemoration of the 485th Joti Jot anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji concluded at Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan on September 22. The event featured a Nagar Kirtan procession to the India-Pakistan border, the unveiling of a statue of Bhai Mardana, and the sowing of seeds under the "Kheti Sahib" initiative.
01-Sep-2024
Ramesh Singh Arora, Punjab’s Sikh Minority Affairs Minister in Pakistan, on September 1 launched a PKR 88-crore project aimed at enhancing religious tourism by upgrading facilities at gurdwaras in Punjab Province. The initiative includes constructing 100 rooms at Gurdwara Janamasthan in Nankana Sahib and renovating other key gurdwaras to attract global Sikh pilgrims. Arora emphasized the project's completion by November 2025 to coincide with Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary celebrations. The government is also setting up botanical gardens and initiating karsewas to further enhance the appeal of these sacred sites.
10-Aug-2024
On August 11, Pakistan’s Sikhs and Hindus decided to observe 'National Minority Day' to highlight issues such as untouchability, attacks, and discrimination against them in Pakistan. The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) pledged its support to raise these concerns. Pakistani rights activist Imran Chatha called for accountability for those harming minority communities, while Jaskaran Singh Sidhu of Gurdwara Babe Di Ber announced meetings with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Punjab Province Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to seek enhanced safety and security.
03-Aug-2024
According to sources, Sikhs and Hindus in Pakistan have launched a campaign to amend the Succession Act of 1925, arguing that it unfairly limits inheritance rights for their communities, particularly for women. Prof. Kalyan Singh Kalyan emphasized that the Act, originally designed for Christians, fails to ensure equal inheritance rights for Sikhs and Hindus. Pushpa Kumari from the Human Rights Commission (HRC) noted that the current law often results in property being transferred to male relatives rather than daughters, underscoring the need for legal reform to address these inequalities.
27-Jul-2024
The Punjab provincial government in Pakistan recently approved the Punjab Sikh Anand Karaj Marriage Registrar Rules 2024, marking a historic first in the implementation of such legislation. Engaged Sikh couples are eagerly seeking to be the first to register their marriages under the newly enacted Sikh Marriage Act of 2024. This new Act allows for the official registration of Sikh marriages, a significant change from the previous practice of only recording marriages in gurdwaras.
24-Jul-2024
The Cabinet of the Pakistan government introduced visa-on-arrival privileges on July 24 for Sikhs holding passports from countries other than India and waived visa fees for travelers from 126 nations. This initiative aims to boost tourism and generate revenue, specifically targeting Sikh pilgrims visiting historic gurdwaras in Pakistan.
19-Jul-2024
According to the 2023 Population and Housing Census by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the Hindu population in Pakistan increased from 3.5 million in 2017 to 3.8 million in 2023, although their share of the total population decreased from 1.73% to 1.61%. The Christian population grew from 2.6 million to 3.3 million, while the Sikh and Parsi populations were 15,998 and 2,348, respectively. Pakistan's total population rose from 207.68 million in 2017 to 240.46 million in 2023.
15-Jul-2024
According to sources, only two of the five Sikh hardliners from India's list of 20 most-wanted men, who were released after the 2001 Parliament House attack, remain alive and are believed to be hiding in Pakistan under government patronage. Wadhawan Singh Babbar, over 70 years old, leads the Khalistani terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and is involved in the Punjab insurgency, wanted for numerous serious crimes. Ranjit Singh Neeta, leader of another terror outfit, Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), faces charges including murder and arms smuggling. Recent intelligence suggests Pakistan may be reviving its "bleed India" strategy, marked by military ambushes in Jammu and sightings of suspicious individuals near border districts.
14-Jul-2024
Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs and President of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, highlighted efforts to reclaim lands belonging to minority worship places in Punjab province, Pakistan, following the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. He praised recent actions reclaiming the pond at Gurdwara Babe Di Beri in Sialkot from illegal occupants, which had been under land mafia control for 77 years.
10-Jul-2024
According to sources, there is an alleged plot within the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to replace Ramesh Singh Arora, Punjab's first Sikh minister and current president of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), with a Christian minister in Pakistan's Minority Affairs Office, a position historically held by a Christian. Critics, including a faction within PML-N, accuse Arora of misconduct and have called for his dismissal to restore the position to a Christian.
09-Jul-2024
Kartarpur Management Unit Deputy Secretary Saifullah Khokhar stated on July 9 that Pakistan has completed the 420-meter-long bridge at the Kartarpur Corridor zero line, overcoming a two-and-a-half-year delay. The completion prepares the bridge for use pending the finalization of a 10-feet section on the Indian side. Initiated to provide a flood-resistant route to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib for Sikh pilgrims, the project, costing PKR 4.53 million, was funded by Pakistan's Public Development Fund with construction by the Frontier Works Organisation and National Engineering Services Pakistan.
09-Jul-2024
Pakistani cricketer Kamran Akmal apologised for his controversial remarks about Arshdeep Singh’s Sikh religion on live TV, acknowledging his mistake in an interview.
03-Jul-2024
Khalistani terrorist Gajinder Singh, who led the group that hijacked an Indian Airlines aircraft to Lahore in 1981 and was one of the most-wanted persons in the records of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA), passed away at the age of 73 after a brief illness in Lahore, Pakistan, on July 3. He was the founder of the separatist organization Dal Khalsa and had spent 14 years in a Pakistani prison for the hijacking. Since his release in 1995, Gajinder had been living in exile. After the terror attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001, the UMHA released a list of 20 people to Pakistan for extradition, with Gajinder being one of them.
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.