US-based Sikh party to hold reference for Khalistan

LAHORE:General Reporter Gurpat Vint Singh Pinnu, Central Leader of Sikhs for Justice, a US-based Sikh organisation and a lawyer for human rights, has announced holding a referendum on January 26, 2023 in Indian Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh for a separate state of Khalistan in Indian Punjab while Shimla will be its capital, they said in a press conference in Punjabi language through a video link from USA at Lahore Press Club.

Gurpat Vant Singh Pinnu said, “We are campaigning for a global referendum to liberate Punjab from Indian domination. Sikhism has been made a part of Hinduism in India, he said, adding that Darbar Sahib was attacked again on June 6, 1984. Our comrades bravely responded to the attack and found evidence. "Today we are also releasing the map that when Indian Punjab becomes independent, these areas will be included in Khalistan. Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh and other areas which formed Punjab after 1947".

He said that 27 million Sikhs are eligible to vote in this referendum. Then Sikhs decided to take a separate region. In this referendum, all residents of Indian Punjab, including Muslims and Christians will be able to vote. Pannu said that independence of Indian Punjab is necessary for the independence of Kashmir.

He requested Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto that it was time for Pakistan to raise its voice for Sikhs like Kashmiris and give them moral, political and diplomatic support.

Pakistan should recognize Indian Punjab in the name of Khalistan so that the case could be strengthened in UN, demanded Pannu.

He said that Modi government is a fascist government, they tried to stop this referendum in UK, Switzerland, now they will try to stop this referendum in Indian Punjab. More than 200,000 votes out of a total population of 800,000 in the UK were registered, he added. Despite heavy snowfall in Italy and Germany, Sikhs came to Switzerland to cast their votes, he said.