After Panjwar, three other pro-Khalistan fugitives could be on Pakistan’s hit-list amid policy shift in Islamabad

The killing of Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) chief Paramjit Singh Panjwar may have followed Pakistan’s decision to get rid of the old guard and replace it with “young blood” in order to revive the Khalistani separatism.

Accusing Pakistan of getting into a deep cleansing mode, various anti-Khalistani and social groups are saying that the Pakistani ISI, which runs the Khalistani operation from Rawalpindi is eliminating the non-profitable Indian fugitives and replacing them with younger leaders.

The advent and placement of 30-year-old Amritpal Singh as the new face of Khalistan has come across the biggest testimony of this theory. According to highly placed sources three other remaining Khalistani leaders Lakhbir Singh Rode, Wadhawa Singh, and Gajinder Singh, who live in Pakistan, who were so far living under the ISII’s protection.

But following Panjwar’s death, it is understood that they have beefed up their personal security, fearing that they could be targeted during the on-going chaos in Pakistan.

“Pakistan is on a ‘use and throw policy’ and it is out to replace old Khalistani terrorists with young ones like Harvinder Singh Rinda. Panjwar’s death is a classic example. As we can see they on one hand are eliminating these financial liabilities and on the other have increased narco and drone terrorism in India which is unacceptable,” said Paramjit Singh Pamma, President, National Akali Dal, Delhi. Pamma added that Pakistan has been under tremendous international pressure on these issues.

During the recent visit of Pakistan Foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and subsequent statement by the Indian Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar, the pressure is on Pakistan to clean up its act. The social group will hold a protest outside the Pakistan Embassy on May 12.

Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda, who was among India’s most wanted terrorists, died in a Lahore hospital last year, Member of the banned Khalistani outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), he was involved in various terror cases carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh announced by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Gajinder is accused of hijacking an Indian Airliner to Lahore in 1981 while Rode, slain Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale’s nephew, is chief of the banned International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF). He along with Panjwar was complicit in the drug smuggling into Indian Punjab.

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