Amidst the deteriorating diplomatic ties between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, Canadian journalist Terry Milewski lambasted the demand for Khalistan. Milewski also asserted that Pakistan has been driving the Khalistani boogie.
In his recent interview, the Canadian journalist categorically asked why don’t Khalistanis demand a share of the more than 200-year-old Sikh Empire lying on the Pakistani side? He asserted that Lahore was the Capital of the Sikh Empire and it was the seat of power of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
"पाक वाला पंजाब क्यों नहीं मांगते, असली राजधानी तो लाहौर ही है"
— News24 (@news24tvchannel) September 26, 2023
◆ कनाडा के पत्रकार टेरी मिल्वस्की ने उधेड़ी पाकिस्तान की बखिया
◆ कहा-"जिस सिख राज्य की मांग हो रही, वो तो पाकिस्तान में है"#CanadaJournalist | Terry Milewski | #IndiaCanada pic.twitter.com/XkOkfC7PSQ
Terry Milewski is a renowned Canadian journalist working with the CBC TV news. He has done extensive research on Khalistan. He is the author of the book titled ‘Blood for Blood: Fifty Years of the Global Khalistan Project’. Reiterating his stance, in a recent interview he asserted that the demand of Khalistanis is wrong.
Highlighting historical context, he highlighted that the separate Sikh state which these fringe but violent extremists demand draws some resemblance with the Sikh Empire which was established by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and his seat was in Lahore, Pakistan.
During the ghastly partition of India, Punjab was also divided into two parts and a major part went to Pakistan. He noted that the capital of Maharaja Ranjit Singh –Lahore and the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev are in Pakistan.
He inquires what kind of Sikh state do these fringe but violent extremists want to create without including the regions of the Sikh Empire lying on the Pakistani side.
Terry Milewski stresses that not raising the demand for a share of the Sikh Empire from Pakistan raises questions. He states that these things are the core of Sikh culture and if they have such a demand, so why don’t they ask it from Pakistan?
Strikingly, the friendly attitude of Khalistanis towards Pakistan itself raises questions. Going further, Terry Milewski asserts that there is no doubt that Pakistan has a major role in Khalistani organisations.
According to Milewski, if something like Khalistan comes into existence then it is certain that it will not be friendly to India and will be inclined towards Pakistan. Pakistan is behind this and this is the reason why these organisations do not claim Pakistani Punjab. Khalistan Tiger Force was founded by Jagtar Singh Tara who is active in Pakistan. Apart from that, many Khalistani have also taken shelter in Pakistan.
In an earlier interview with the Indian Express, Milewski delved deeper to explain the role of Pakistan in planting and assisting the Khalistani boogie.
Emphasising the Khalistani-Pakistani tango, he stated, “There is no other country on the face of the earth where Sikh separatists have been able to train, get weapons, have a safe haven, and do cross border attacks into Indian Punjab and elsewhere in India. There’s only Pakistan which has supported the movement since the very start.”
Terry Milewski traces the genesis of Pakistan’s active involvement in the Khalistani boogie back in 1971 when India carved out an Independent country named Bangladesh from Pakistan.
Regarding Pakistani role in helping Khalistanis, he added that the principal role played by Pakistan has been in providing a base or a safe haven for wanted terrorists.
According to Terry Milewski, when Talwinder Singh Parmar carried out the Air India bombing in 1985, he fled Canada to avoid getting arrested. Notably, Parmar was a Canadian citizen, as were the other members of his gang who were responsible for the bombing.
Interestingly, the father of current Canadian Prime Minister Justin, Pierre Trudeau had shielded Kanishka bombing mastermind Talwinder Parmar despite the Indira Gandhi-led Indian government making his extradition request in 1982.
Later, Parmar fled to Pakistan, where he was operating a gun-running operation. He was introduced to his weapons dealer by an ISI agent who was an Islamic jihadist, with whom the Khalistanis formed an alliance for strategic reasons.
On the role of China, Terry Milewski said, “Guess who the Khalistani separatists are pledging allegiance to? ‘Sikhs for Justice’ for instance, which is the lobby group that is campaigning around the world for a referendum on Sikh independence, officially pledged in writing their allegiance to, firstly, Pakistan and secondly to China.”
He added, “The Khalistan movement is not about popular support… it’s about geopolitics. China could well tolerate, subsidise and assist in various ways the Khalistan movement on the basis that it is making trouble for their enemies in India.”
