The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) invited Sikh pilgrims from India to offer ''Jyoti Jyot Gurpurab'' prayers at the historic Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Punjab province of Pakistan next month.

In a first, the ‘jyoti jot’ diwas (death anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev would be observed at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, on September 22. The decision was taken during a meeting of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).

Some Sikh religious and political leaders in Pakistan came out in the open to exhort the community to ‘help’ militant movements in Kashmir. Messages were delivered to the Pakistani Sikh community on August 5, which is being observed as Youm-i-Istehsal (the day of exploitation) in Pakistan. The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSPGC) president Satwant Singh in his video message said that supporting Kashmiris in their “cause” is their duty, which they would continue to perform. He claimed that Kashmiris are being subjected to atrocities and denied their rights. “Sikhs have been helping the oppressed and it is time for the Sikhs to help Kashmiris,” he said.

The Sikh bodies in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including Sikh Intellectuals Circle J&K, International Sikh Federation, Sikh Students Federation and Sikh Youths of J&K said that the entire Sikh community had decided to observe 5th August as Siege Day. They demanded restoration of special status of Jammu and Kashmir and release of all Kashmiri political detainees.

Ontario’s Peel Regional Police said that the August 15 incident in the City of Brampton in which a loaded handgun was seized and five South Asian males were arrested was not about Khalistan politics as reported in local media.

The Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) attacked the Justin Trudeau’s government for its stand against referendum 2020 campaign and asserted it will go ahead with its plans in Canada and elsewhere. Its general counsel Gurpatwant Pannun in a statement said, “Canadian Sikhs will not let the Trudeau regime trump their right to peacefully express and propagate the political opinion of Khalistan by holding Referendum 2020. Trudeau government should find some other way to please India.”

According to sources, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is camping in Canada's capital Ottawa to coordinate the August 15 voter registration camps in front of Indian Consulates in Canada and other western countries. Recently, the SFJ, headed by Pannun in Canada, burnt the Indian tricolour in Canada and mailed the remains to the Indian High Commissioner in Ottawa. The group has claimed that "remains of Indian tricolour have been mailed to Ajay Bisaria, Indian High Commissioner in Ottawa as a symbolic gesture to remind India that Canada considers Khalistan as a political opinion unlike India where Referendum 2020 campaigners are being charged under UAPA and sedition". Article 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms declares the freedom to express political opinion as a fundamental right of the people, the SFJ claims in the mail. However, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry of Canada last week rejected the SFJ's 'Referendum 2020' campaign and said, "Canada respects the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of India, and the government of Canada will not recognise the referendum."

Twenty-five Canadian Member of Parliaments (MP) have written to Canadian immigration minister Marco Mendicino calling for a special program for Afghan Sikh and Hindu refugees so that they can be brought back safely to Canada. The letter written by 16 Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), 6 New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) and 3 Green Party expresses “concern about the existential threat to religious minorities in Afghanistan, specifically, the Sikhs and Hindus.”

India refuted as absolutely untrue allegations that a British Sikh man arrested on charges relating to terrorism is being tortured in Tihar Jail in New Delhi after group of demonstrators staged a protest outside 10 Downing Street in London. The Indian High Commission in London in a statement said, Jagtar Singh Johal has been arrested on serious charges relating to terrorism. It is untrue that he is being held without any charges. The prosecuting agency, NIA (National Investigation Agency), has already filed charge sheet in the court of law and he is presently undergoing judicial proceedings as per the law of the land. It is absolutely untrue that he has been subjected to torture. He has been granted consular access several times to the UK High Commission in New Delhi. Further, institutional safeguards like the Human Rights Commission exist to investigate any such allegation, it said. Earlier, the protesters waved placards and made speeches to protest British national Jagtar Singh Johal's detention in India for 1,020 days. His brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, handed in a letter for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson seeking his intervention over the alleged third-degree torture and mistreatment and lack of charges against his younger brother in India. Johal, a 33-year-old Scottish-born Sikh, was in Jalandhar with his family for his wedding in October 2017 when he was arrested by police in the city.

British Pakistani and Kashmiri community held a demonstration outside Indian High Commission London on August 15 afternoon to mark India’s Independence Day as ‘Black day’ which was also joined by Indian Sikh community. The participants carried flags of Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Khalistan.

The new Indian High Commissioner, Gaitri Issar Kumar, said that New Delhi will take all measures at its disposal to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. She said in an interview that “the people of Punjab and the Government of India have worked together over the years to successfully root out the Khalistan ‘movement’ — extremist entities associated with Khalistan terrorism — in the early 90s in India. We are aware that many of these terrorist entities connected with the Khalistan movement continue their activities based in the UK and other western countries, where they had fled to. It is well known that they operate in close cooperation with Pakistan-backed perpetrators of terror to create instability in J&K and other parts of India.” “Our government has a number of institutional mechanisms for sharing relevant information on all these organisations with the UK, including regular dialogue and robust cooperation in a variety of areas related to our convergent security and defence interests.” She added that “We appreciate the position taken by the UK government on the Khalistan issue — that they see Punjab as an integral part of India.” “As for ‘Sikhs for Justice’, its supporters must be aware of this organisation’s involvement in serious terror-related and other illegal activities for which many are wanted in India. My government has officially sought the proscription of the terror entity ‘Sikhs for Justice’ in the UK”, she said.

Businessman and chairman of British Sikh Association, Lord Rami Ranger said that British Prime Minister has assured him that the British Government does not support Khalistan movement in the UK or any activity against India. Lord Ranger said that, “I informed Prime Minister Johnson that there are some separatist organisations working for Khalistan and they want to separate Punjab, the Indian side of Punjab from India. Prime Minister categorically assured me that the British Government does not support such organisations or anything against India.” Recently, Lord Ranger was criticised for his tweet asserting the Prime Minister’s support. Preeti Gill, member of Parliament Labour party, had replied to the post, saying, “The principle of self-determination is prominently embodied in Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations. It is positioned as the first right in the twin Human Rights Covenants-the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and (ICESCR). Most concerning.” Mentioning the fiery twitter interaction with Preet Gill, Lord Ranger said, “You don’t get self-determination on Twitter sitting 5000 miles away. You have to go and fight your cause with the people and test your popularity.” He further called out the organisations and people pushing for Khalistan, to renounce their British Passports, go to India, form a political party and do something “worthwhile” if they really believe in it.

A Sikh man based in the US, Surjit Singh, alleged that the chief of pro-Khalistani extremist group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun extorted $15,000 from a Dalit youth from Punjab. In a video shared on social media, Surjit Singh of California has alleged that Pannun cheated him of $15,000 which he had paid to him in an immigration case of a Dalit youth last year. Surjit Singh is heard saying in the video that he gave Pannun $15,000 for getting the US residency status for a Punjabi youth of the Valmiki community (Dalit). However, after Pannun received the money, he did not fulfill his commitment and did not deliver what he had promised. Surjit is also heard saying in the video that whatever Pannun has been doing, he does it only for money.

A resolution introduced in the US Congress described Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan as “endangered minorities” and has sought to resettle these persecuted religious communities from the war-torn country to America. Introduced in the House of Representatives last week by Congresswoman Jackie Speier and co-sponsored by seven others, the resolution supports refugee protection for Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan, noting the “systematic religious persecution, discrimination and existential danger” faced by members of these communities.

Khalistani and Kashmiri separatists staged a demonstration against India at Times Square, New York City on the occasion of the bhoomi pujan ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodha. The coordinator of Sikh Coordination Committee, East Coast, Himmat Singh said that the protest was held against the Hindutva regime supported by the BJP. According to intelligence sources, during the sponsored programme, various Sikh and Kashmiri hardliners spewed venom against India and pro-Pakistan and Khalistan slogans were also raised.

According to reports, only a handful of Pakistani protestors had gathered at the iconic Times Square for the anti-India demonstrations which were organized under the leadership of Himmat Singh, a pro-Khalistani Sikh, to counter the massive celebrations of Ram Temple foundation stone laying ceremony conducted by the Indian Diaspora. Around 20-25 people were gathered out of which only 2-3 were from Sikh community while the others were of Pakistani origin. They raised pro-Khalistan slogans with an aim to disrupt the celebrations of Indian community.

A band of Haryanvis clashed with a group of Khalistanis at Harris park in Sydney, Australia on August 28 night in an organised brawl following a quarrel that ensued over an argument on TikTok. It was apparently broadcast through the social media platform. According to Punjabi singer Kamal Choudhary, the fight started after Jassi, a Khalistani, started posting pro-Khalistani and anti-India content on TikTok.

A court in Frankfurt on August 25 began the trial of a 54-year-old Indian man accused of spying on Sikh and Kashmiri communities in Germany. Balvir is accused of spying on the expatriate communities for the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) since January 2015.

A group of Pakistanis and pro-Khalistan people on August 15 organised a rally in Germany's Frankfurt and the participants of the rally shouted slogans against India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with pro-Khalistan slogans. During the rally, Prashant Vengurlekar stood one side of the street with the tricolour in support of India. Later, Prashant Vengurlekar shared a video of the rally which also showed the participants charging at him for supporting India. The video showed that people in the rally were passing from an area in Frankfurt. While recording video of the rally, Prashant showed India's national flag to them without saying anything. When people in the rally noticed him with the tricolour, they hurled abuses and charged at him. One of the participants of the rally even attempted to hit Prashant with the Pakistani flag. The Police present at the scene also intervened to contain the situation.

The European Council decided to renew the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of Sri Lanka, along with 20 other organizations including Babar Khalsa, Hizbul Mujahideen’ and Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF).