Pakistan Woos Sikhs Through Religious Outreach ISI Eyes Punjab Revival

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Nov 13 (IANS) Pakistan's outreach to the Sikh community, both in India and abroad, has been steadily increasing. The irony is that while the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is seeking to engage with the Sikh community on religious grounds, Pakistan continues to persecute religious minorities within its own territory.

The persecution of Sikhs in Pakistan is a well-established reality. This has made Indian intelligence agencies suspicious of Pakistan's intentions behind its religious outreach to the Sikh community. They view such initiatives with caution, given the continued mistreatment of minorities in Pakistan.

An Intelligence Bureau official said Pakistan has been stepping up its focus on religious sites within the country that hold deep religious significance for the Sikh community.

The Pakistan establishment has been looking to reopen as well as restore many such sites. It realises that these are highly sensitive issues and the Sikh community has sentiments relating to these religious sites.

By restoring and reopening these religious sites, Pakistan is aware that Sikhs from India would be keen to visit these places of religious significance.

“The ISI wants to increase people-to-people interactions so that it can potentially lure some members of the Sikh community into its network. ISI-backed elements may also attempt to fuel Khalistan sentiments among Sikhs under the guise of religious outreach, hoping that those who return to Punjab would take up the cause,” the official said.

Most recently, Pakistan reopened the historic Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib, located on Temple Road in Lahore. The shrine had remained closed since the 1947 Partition.

Pakistan is also planning to expand Gurdwara Janam Asthan Guru Ram Das Ji in Lahore's Chuna Mandi. The shrine holds immense religious significance for Sikhs as it is believed to be the birthplace of Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru. The proposed expansion involves incorporating adjoining commercial land to provide additional space and facilities for the gurdwara.

Islamabad says this would encourage more people from the Sikh community to visit the shrine, as it would have more space for better facilities and religious ceremonies.

Another official questioned the timing of Pakistan's initiatives, pointing out that Islamabad has stepped up its efforts to preserve and promote Sikh heritage at a time when Punjab is gearing up for Assembly elections.

Several intelligence reports indicate that the ISI is making efforts to revive the Khalistan movement in Punjab. To advance its operations in the state, the Pakistani intelligence agency needs to expand its network of assets, including handlers and recruiters.

Such assets are present in Pakistan, but they are unable to connect with the Sikh community in Punjab. The ISI feels that having locals do the job would help in connecting better with the people of Punjab.

These outreach programmes are not specifically targeted at the Sikhs in Punjab. There is a considerable number of Sikhs living abroad, and Pakistan hopes to tap them as well.

In recent years, support for the Khalistan movement among the Sikh community, both in India and abroad, has been declining. The ISI realises that attempts to push a violent agenda in Punjab are finding little traction. There is no widespread desire within the community to see a return to the turbulent days associated with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Recognising that violence is failing to gain support, the ISI appears to have shifted its focus to religious outreach in an attempt to win over sections of the Sikh community.

Another official said that this is the height of hypocrisy. The Sikhs remain one of the most persecuted religious minority communities in Pakistan.

The Narendra Modi government introduced the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) specifically to address the plight of religious minorities who faced persecution in neighbouring countries, including Pakistan. Before the 1947 Partition, hundreds of gurdwaras were functional in areas that became part of Pakistan. Today, fewer than 20 remain operational.

Over the past decade, around 30,000 Sikhs have reportedly fled Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, citing extortion by terrorist groups and alleged state patronage of such activities. Thousands of minor girls from minority communities have also reportedly been subjected to forced conversions. The scale of the community's decline is equally striking. While Pakistan had around 20 lakh Sikhs in 1947, their population is estimated to have fallen to just 15,998 today. These figures offer an indication of the extent of the community's decline and the concerns over its treatment in Pakistan.

In addition to the religious programmes that Pakistan is planning, the ISI has also told its assets to ramp up smuggling of arms and ammunition, as well as narcotics while using drones.

It is planning to target Punjab from all angles with the hope that it would keep India engaged both on the political and security fronts. In the run-up to the Assembly elections to be held in 2027, the ISI would look to indulge in radicalisation and disinformation campaigns, while also stepping up smuggling activities and targeted killings, Intelligence assessments suggest.

The security agencies have their hands full as they get ready to ensure the elections are conducted in smooth and peaceful manner, an official said.

MENAFN13112026000231011071ID1111956902