Khalistani Terrorist Pannun Sides With Pakistan, Rants Against Indian Delegation’s US Visit

As India ramps up its global outreach to highlight the threat of cross-border terrorism following Operation Sindoor.

The banned pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has launched a provocative campaign in the United States, aligning itself with Pakistan’s narrative and targeting Indian diplomats and political delegates who will be reaching there soon.

A delegation led by Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor is set to land in the US later this month to convey the country’s position on cross-border terrorism and building international consensus in the wake of the Pahalgam attacks and the Operation Sindoor counter-terror operations, which saw India strike nine terror hideouts in Pakistan.

Labeling India’s official diplomatic mission as a “Delegation of Devils”, SFJ announced that it will move the US State Department and the US Congress against the Indian delegation, in a move widely to derail India’s bipartisan efforts to expose Pakistan’s terror footprint in Kashmir after the May 4 Pahalgam attack.

In a statement, SFJ general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun accused India of “manufacturing war” to frame Pakistan and demanded that the US administration confront India over Operation Sindoor. Pannun questioned the legitimacy of India’s intelligence inputs, demanded evidence of Pakistan’s involvement and claimed places of worship like Nankana Sahib were targeted.

The SFJ has been linked to Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and is known to have used their help to indoctrinate Punjabi youth into following the Khalistani ideology. The group also is responsible for arms trafficking and for targeting Punjab’s youth with drugs due to its large role in drugs trafficking.

In a further escalation, SFJ has announced a $10,000 “reward” for information leading to civil action against former Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

Khalistani groups have previously organized flotillas and protests targeting Indian leaders and diplomatic missions. In Canada, pro-Khalistan activists have staged demonstrations featuring effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other officials and have also glorified the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, who was assassinated by Khalistani sympathisers.

In the United States and the United Kingdom, Khalistani supporters have held violent rallies outside Indian consulates, displaying provocative imagery and slogans. They have also targeted places of worship in the above countries and also in Australia.