Paramjit Singh Panjwad and Hardeep Singh Nijjar
International tensions have intensified in the wake of the Canadian government’s recent allegations regarding the involvement of Indian agencies in the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. Nijjar, who headed the Khalistan Tiger Force, was killed in British Columbia in June.
Similarly, in May, Parminder Singh Panjwar, head of the Khalistan Commando Force, was gunned down by unidentified individuals in Lahore, Pakistan. Pakistani media reported Panjwar’s death as a routine killing of a Pakistani Sikh named Sardar Singh Malik, the alias Panjwar used in Lahore. He was sought by India for allegedly smuggling drugs and weapons into Punjab using drones.
Both assassinations followed the detention of Khalistani-affiliated separatist leader Amritpal Singh Sandhu in Punjab’s Moga, and his subsequent transfer to an Assam prison under the National Security Act (NSA). Post Sandhu’s arrest, several Indian consulates in London, San Francisco, and Canada were violently targeted. It’s noteworthy that Canada, which has voiced strong concerns over Nijjar’s death, offered no such reaction when Panjwar was killed in broad daylight.
Interestingly, while Khalistani terrorists finding refuge in Canada are being systematically eliminated, those operating under Pakistan’s aegis are also facing assassination in broad daylight. The latest incident occurred last month when Mufti Qaiser Farooq, widely regarded as Hafiz Saeed’s right-hand man and a key figure in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, was gunned down by unidentified individuals in Karachi. Farooq was among the founding members of Lashkar-e-Taiba and had close ties to Hafiz Saeed.
Prior to this, Muhammad Riaz, a terrorist affiliated with Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a group connected to Lashkar, was killed in PoK. Riaz’s demise marks the fourth such occurrence in Pakistan this year. Earlier, former Hizbul Mujahideen commander Bashir Ahmed Peer, also known as Imtiaz Alam, was slain in Rawalpindi. Additionally, Syed Khalid Raza, a past commander of Al Badr Mujahideen active in Kashmir, was assassinated in Karachi. These deaths were characterized by the police as targeted killings.
Several high-profile terrorists in Pakistan have met their end under mysterious circumstances lately. Abdul Rehman Makki, the deputy leader of Jamaat-ud-Dawa and a globally designated terrorist, is reportedly missing. Meanwhile, there’s been no recent information about Hafiz Saeed’s son, Talha. A principal orchestrator of Lashkar’s operations in India, Talha narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Lahore in 2019. Some reports indicate that a faction within Lashkar opposes Talha’s elevation to the organization’s second-in-command. It appears that many of these terrorists are succumbing to internal disputes, issues that even the ISI seems unable to mediate.
While the details are emerging, the identity of the attackers remains unknown, and the motives behind these attacks are still shrouded in mystery. In this context, Pakistan and Canada appear to share similarities. The modus operandi in both countries seems consistent. The proficiency with which the assailants vanish after the act suggests a deep familiarity with the locales. Such expertise is unlikely from outsiders. Today, Canada, like Pakistan, has become a sanctuary for certain extremist factions. While groups like Lashkar, Jaish, and Hizbul Mujahideen have entrenched themselves in Pakistan, Khalistani extremists find a foothold in Canada.
Such striking parallels are hard to dismiss as mere coincidence. This might explain why Canada is increasingly being viewed in a light similar to Pakistan. The brief interaction during the G-20 summit in New Delhi provides a glimpse into the evolving dynamics of India-Canada bilateral relations, suggesting that Canada is treading a path reminiscent of Pakistan’s. Justin Trudeau’s domestic political imperatives have seemingly aligned him with some controversial figures in Canadian public life. Notably, many Khalistani movement supporters are members of Trudeau’s party and even his cabinet.
It’s paradoxical that while Canada, and certain Khalistani-aligned Canadians, are accused of meddling in India’s affairs through support for terrorism and separatism, and even taking responsibility for gang-related incidents in India, the Canadian administration has conversely levied accusations of interference at India. This stance doesn’t appear to be mere naivety but rather an overt endorsement of extremist activities that pose a global concern. In a way, echoing the India-Pakistan dynamic, terrorism is also emerging as a central point of contention in India’s relationship with Canada.
Both Pakistan and Canada seem to echo similar sentiments regarding the Nijjar incident. Islamabad has previously accused India of orchestrating the deaths of individuals perceived as threats to India’s stance on Kashmir. Two years ago, a dossier released by the Pakistani government implicated Indian agencies in an assassination attempt on Hafiz Saeed in Lahore. Feeling the pinch of international isolation over the issue, Pakistan appears keen to align with Canada’s perspective in the ongoing dispute. Islamabad aims to depict Nijjar’s assassination as consistent with India’s modus operandi. However, it might do well to introspect before casting aspersions on its neighbours.
While Canada vocalizes its commitment to combating terrorism, its support for Khalistani terrorists seems to hint at a divergent state policy—akin to Pakistan’s stance. Both Nijjar and Panjwar were recognized as terror fugitives in India for decades. Panjwar was listed among the 50 most-wanted terrorists sheltered by Pakistan, as per a list India shared 12 years ago. Similarly, India sought Canada’s cooperation to apprehend Nijjar, citing the 1987 extradition treaty and the 1998 bilateral legal assistance treaty. New Delhi also turned to Interpol for information and action on Nijjar, engaging with Canadian officials multiple times. Yet, Ottawa appeared to lean towards supporting extremist views. It’s perplexing that Canada views the overt collaboration between Khalistani terrorists and Pakistani diplomats as routine diplomacy. The Trudeau administration should reflect on how this precarious alliance wreaked havoc in Punjab during the 80s and 90s. India’s historical encounters emphasize the importance of vigilance against the growth of anti-India factions in Canada.
