Pakistan Openly Supports SFJ’s Campaign for India Referendum at Karachi Press Club

In a provocative development that raises new concerns about cross-border terrorism, the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has launched a voter registration drive for a “Khalistan Referendum” targeting Sikhs living in India. The announcement, made on April 29 at the Karachi Press Club in Pakistan, signals an escalation in Pakistan’s open support for separatist activities against India.

Indian officials view this event as clear evidence of Pakistan’s establishment backing the SFJ, an organization proscribed by the Indian government alongside its chief, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. “Pakistan is playing this game out in the open and is not even bothering to conceal the fact that it is backing a terrorist organization,” stated an Indian official familiar with the matter.

Security experts note that offering the SFJ a platform at the Karachi Press Club represents a strategic shift, as Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) appears to be taking a more direct approach in promoting the Khalistan narrative from its soil. This comes as SFJ operations have reportedly become more challenging in Canada and the United Kingdom, where authorities have increased scrutiny of separatist activities.

The timing of this announcement follows a significant security operation by Punjab police, which recently uncovered what officials described as a “deep-rooted conspiracy” orchestrated by the ISI and Khalistan outfits. Authorities recovered RDX, rocket-propelled grenades, and other explosives allegedly intended for large-scale attacks across Punjab state.

During the Karachi press conference, Pannun claimed that 1.8 million people worldwide had already participated in the referendum. He outlined plans to implement voter registration in India through a phased approach, beginning with Delhi and eventually expanding to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab. In remarks that further underscored the Pakistan connection, Pannun expressed support for Pakistan in any future tensions with India and praised Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir.

Indian Intelligence Bureau officials have dismissed these claims, suggesting that the SFJ routinely exaggerates numbers to create a false impression of support. “Their numbers are highly doubtful,” one official stated, adding that “the very fact that there is no traction for the movement in Punjab suggests just that.”

While Indian security agencies express confidence that the SFJ’s registration efforts will fail within India due to minimal local support, they remain vigilant about the propaganda campaign that may accompany these efforts. Officials are particularly concerned about the potential for social media disinformation campaigns featuring manipulated content.

“The SFJ has also been playing with the idea of generating content using Artificial Intelligence to show Punjab in a bad state as part of India,” one intelligence official warned. Security agencies are closely monitoring these activities and developing countermeasures to prevent false narratives from gaining traction.

The development represents a troubling expansion of Pakistan’s strategy to destabilize India through proxy organizations. By providing a prominent venue like the Karachi Press Club for the SFJ announcement, Pakistan appears to be intensifying its support for separatist movements targeting India’s territorial integrity.

Indian security experts emphasize that while the Khalistan movement has minimal support within Punjab itself, the propaganda war requires continuous vigilance. “There may be no traction, but sometimes a spark is sufficient to set off a fire,” cautioned one official, highlighting the persistent nature of the security challenge.

As tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors continue, this latest development underscores the complex interplay between terrorism, propaganda, and geopolitical rivalries in the South Asian region.