Pakistan's ISI using Khalistani forces to accelerate disinformation campaigns against India

Image for representational use only

New Delhi: Pakistan's ISI is ready to launch an intense anti-India propaganda and has geared up Khalistani forces. Most of the pro-Khalistan supporters, who were in support earlier, have gotten disenchanted with the ISI and are increasingly ditching the Pakistani agency due to ongoing persecution of Sikh minorities in Pakistan and exploitation of Khalistanis for money-making through drug trafficking. 

Khalistani sympathisers based in India are assisting them in amplifying their disinformation campaigns. Central agencies as well as the Punjab Police have launched a strong crackdown on Khalistani elements, exposing their sinister designs and shattering their networks.

The agency is now using the help of the remaining Khakistani elements as their foot soldiers for magnifying ISI propaganda on foreign soil, especially in the West. However, ISI is losing support base amongst the Khalistani and has instructed its remaining proxies like Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) to intensify their propaganda campaigns.

“It is unfortunate to observe that platforms based out of Indian Punjab are magnifying the disinformation campaign of Khalistani elements. This also highlights the string that connects Canadian Khalistanis with their Indian sympathisers. The Indian law enforcement agencies need to take strict. action against those supporting Khalistani cause. The news publishers should also be charged with sedition charges to give a strong message to anti-India forces within India,” said an Indian security officer deployed in the Central Security establishment.

Recently, Khalistan sympathetic news platforms have been planting propaganda by portraying a gang war incident between two outlaw groups in Canada as a story of pro-Indians threatening Sikh activists. The stories presented a description of a scuffle between two groups in front of the Indian Consulate in Toronto on August 15.

They claimed that eight youths were arrested by the Peel Police who threatened Sikh activists gathered for an anti-India protest. The platform also shared the video of the confrontation.

Khalistani forces across the world, especially in the US and Canada, widely shared the news. Leading the propaganda attack, SFJ made several posts on the issue and shared them through its social media accounts.

While endorsing the news, Khalistani elements portrayed that the attack was carried out by pro-India forces under the directions of Indian agencies to repress Khalistani voices. Subsequently, Khalistani outfits began aggressively demanding the Canada Government to stop the killing of Sikhs by Indian agencies and to avert Indian interference in Canada.

A closer look at the press release issued by the Peel Police suggests that the altercation was the result of a personal conflict, rather a gang war, between two criminal groups. The Police have charged five individuals with firearm related offences.

Locals suggest that the incident was an outcome of rivalry between the drug gangs. One of the individuals arrested is closely connected with a prominent Shiromani Akali Dal leader from East Canada. He was earlier charged for heroin smuggling to Canada from India valuing CA$ 5.1 million.

It is evident that the accused charged by Canadian authorities for their involvement in drug smuggling and pro-Khalistan activities in Canada. The accused's wife is Pakistani-Canadian thus clearly bringing out his links to Pakistan revealling the involvement of  ISI — both in drugs smuggling and in promoting Khalistani activities.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh has been stressing about the influence of organisations like SFJ in Punjab and has recently dared these leaders to India to learn a lesson. It becomes important to investigate the issue and penalise the perpetrators based in India.