EDMONTON, Canada: Preparations for the Khalistan referendum in Edmonton, Canada, have been completed, with Sikh participants arriving from across Canada, the United States and Europe to take part in the vote organised by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), amid reports that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a fresh warning about a potential threat to the life of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, SFJ’s general counsel.
The referendum, scheduled for October 18, has attracted Sikh participants from various Canadian provinces, while members of the Sikh diaspora from the United States and Europe are also travelling to Alberta, some accompanied by their families.
The voting event is being organised by SFJ as part of its campaign to seek support for the establishment of an independent Sikh homeland, Khalistan, through the separation of the Indian state of Punjab from the rest of the country.
FBI warning to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun
The referendum is taking place amid renewed security concerns following reports that the FBI issued a fresh warning to Pannun regarding a potential threat to his life.
According to media reports, FBI agents visited Pannun at his residence in New York on October 15 and warned him of a possible threat, particularly in connection with his planned travel to Canada for the Edmonton referendum. The reported warning has renewed attention to the security of Sikh separatist activists in North America.
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Pannun has previously been linked to security concerns surrounding an assassination plot in the United States in 2023. US prosecutors brought charges in connection with the alleged plot, while India has denied involvement.
Referendum on the Khalistan demand
According to the organisers, the referendum aims to provide members of the Sikh community with an opportunity to express their views on their political future and the demand for an independent Khalistan. SFJ has organised similar voting events in various cities outside India as part of its international campaign.
However, the Edmonton referendum is an initiative organised by the group and is not an official referendum conducted or recognised by the Canadian or Indian governments. Its outcome will not, by itself, change Punjab’s constitutional status or India’s territorial boundaries.
The Khalistan movement advocates the creation of an independent state for Sikhs by separating Punjab from India. The issue remains a source of political tension between India and sections of the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada and the United States.
