Nauman Ali
Karachi: Pro-Khalistan advocacy group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) on Tuesday announced a one-billion-dollar commitment to support former US president Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace,” calling for international mediation to seek a referendum on Khalistan in Indian-administered Punjab.
The announcement was made by SFJ General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun during a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, where he said the group was prepared to allocate $1bn to participate in the initiative, which he described as aimed at resolving conflicts through negotiation rather than military action.
Pannun said the proposed contribution was intended to support diplomatic efforts urging Washington to press the Indian government to allow what he termed a “Khalistan Referendum” in Punjab. He described the region as strategically critical to South Asia and argued that political instability there carried wider regional and global implications.
He claimed that recent mass detentions of Sikhs in Punjab reflected a deteriorating security situation, alleging that thousands had been arrested under criminal and anti-terror laws in recent days. He also accused Indian authorities of suppressing political dissent and targeting activists linked to the Khalistan movement.
Referring to historical events, Pannun cited the 1984 military operation at the Golden Temple, the anti-Sikh violence that followed Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination, and the subsequent counter-insurgency period, which he said resulted in large-scale human rights abuses. India has previously rejected characterisations of these events as genocide and maintains that its actions were aimed at countering militancy.
The SFJ leader argued that an independent Khalistan would emerge as a peaceful, democratic state aligned with Western interests and could serve as what he called a “stabilising force” in the region. He also pointed to Sikh diaspora communities in North America, Europe, the UK and Australia as evidence of the international dimension of the issue.
India has consistently opposed the Khalistan movement, describing it as extremist and a threat to its sovereignty. New Delhi has also dismissed calls for a referendum on secession, asserting that Punjab is an integral part of India.
No immediate response was available from US or Indian officials regarding SFJ’s statement.
