From Punjab to Vancouver, ISI nudges Khalistani outfits to step up psychological warfare

New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS) The threat by the banned terror outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) to lay siege to the Indian Consulate in Canada's Vancouver is another sign of how dangerous these Khalistani outfits are becoming.

This is a clear sign of things to come, and it is evident that the ISI has directed these outfits to ramp up activities in countries such as Canada and the UK, Intelligence Bureau officials say. It is part of the psy-ops that the ISI has been indulging in since the humiliation Pakistan suffered during Operation Sindoor.

While the SFJ is known for making such remarks as part of its psychological operations, the security agencies are not taking these threats lightly. There is currently a lot of frustration among these Khalistani outfits, especially in Canada, as they are unable to achieve their goal in India.

The Indian security agencies have been repeatedly warning their counterparts in Canada that if they do not act against these terrorists, then their land would be at risk. There have already been Instances where Canadians have been warned to leave the nations. Some groups have even claimed that they would form Khalistan in Canada.

Since India hit Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack, there has been a lot of chatter between certain Pakistani handles and members of the SFJ. There have been calls telling the SFJ to enhance psy-ops against India. These include threats to Indian missions, a spike in anti-India content on social media, and carrying out more referendums.

This means that Pakistan wants the SFJ to indulge in a narrative battle, and this time around, keep it intense. It is similar to what Pakistan has been doing after being humiliated during Operation Sindoor. It has tried to position itself as a close ally of the US, while attempting to show that it dominates the region after China.

For the Khalistanis, the real battle has failed thanks to alert Indian forces. There is no traction for the movement in Punjab, and the youth are not latching onto this ideology. This leaves it with no option but to indulge in optics and try to win over the youth. Unless the youth take part, the Khalistan movement is close to dead.

The ISI has also been nudging the SFJ to indulge the youth as much as possible. It is attempting to stage coups through the youth and attempting something that one witnessed in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

The Indian agencies have sounded a high alert, especially in Punjab, following these developments. The Punjab Police, too, have been very diligent and have busted several modules and foiled arms smuggling attempts. Officials say that this sudden surge in developments is an indicator that the Khalistanis are desperate and being constantly nudged by the ISI to scale up operations.

At first, the ISI tried to build a terror force of Khalistani elements in Punjab. However, with little or no traction, it decided that it needed to change its strategy. The ISI realises that if such a movement does not resonate with the people of Punjab, it is almost as good as dead.

At such a time, the SFJ, which is active on social media and has a strong cell online, comes in handy. The SFJ has tried to incite the youth on several occasions, but there have not been many takers.

The latest development, where a threat was issued to the consulate in Vancouver, comes close on the heels of a Khalistan Embassy opening in Canada. The Canadian security forces have realised the threat and even released an assessment report on terror financing and money laundering, where these elements are concerned. Now, Canada would have to work closely with the Indian agencies if a workaround to the problem has to be found.

--IANS

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