Exploring Khalistani Agenda within Media Circles of Canadian-American and Pakistani Nexus: DFRAC Exclusive

In the corridors of contemporary discourse, the Khalistan narrative has emerged as a focal point of capturing the international attention – be it the media moguls, think tanks, social activism, and social media influencers participating in conversations pertaining to Khalistan. Yet, amidst these discussions surrounding Khalistan, one can’t help but wonder: are these discussions occurring naturally or if there is a deliberate and coordinated endeavor to promote the Khalistan agenda with a particular strategy.

DFRAC’s analysis of select social media accounts has yielded significant findings. Our investigation has revealed that a substantial cohort of journalists, think tanks, social activists, and influential social media personalities actively utilize social platforms to fervently champion the Khalistan cause, all while pursuing a discernible objective – tarnish Indian image globally.

In this report, we will delve into the following key points:

1. Prominent Journalists Advocating for Khalistan on Social Media Platforms
2. Identification of Khalistan Supporters
3. The Pakistan Link to the Khalistani Movement
4. The ISI Connection of the “Pakistani-American Think Tank”
5. The Convergence of Pakistani and Khalistani Media

Prominent Journalists Advocating for Khalistan on Social Media Platforms:

As depicted in the graphic below, there is a notable presence of journalists, think tanks, entities, and social media influencers actively advocating for the Khalistan agenda on social media platforms. These individuals and influencers are distributed across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. A common thread among these users is their extensive interconnectedness and concerted efforts towards advancing the Khalistan agenda.

As depicted in the graphic below, there is a notable presence of journalists, think tanks, entities, and social media influencers actively advocating for the Khalistan agenda on social media platforms. These individuals and influencers are distributed across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. A common thread among these users is their extensive interconnectedness and concerted efforts towards advancing the Khalistan agenda.

Identification of Khalistan Supporters:

Twitter has implemented measures to limit access to numerous accounts endorsing Khalistan within India. Additionally, there are individuals who masquerade as journalists but exploit the platform to promote a particular agenda.

(i) Politics Punjab TV:

There is a Twitter account by the name of Politics Punjab TV (@PoliticsPunj774), which purports to be a media organization operating out of the United Kingdom. This channel claims to provide content in both Punjabi and English languages, offering news, cultural, educational, and entertainment programs on Sky 774 for a diverse audience. Interestingly, this account has not posted any of its own channel’s programs recently. Instead, it has been predominantly retweeting posts from other media institutions.

Upon careful analysis of the content available on YouTube, it has come to our attention that Politics Punjab TV is actively advocating for the Khalistan movement, while masquerading as a platform for cultural, educational, and entertainment news. A significant number of videos showcased on this channel are in alignment with the objectives of the Khalistan cause.

(ii) Jagjeet Singh:

Within the context of Politics Punjab TV, there exists a group of individuals situated in the United States and Canada who present themselves as journalists while actively promoting the cause of Khalistan. One such individual is Jagjeet Singh, who goes by the Twitter handle @JagjeetInCAN and asserts his location as New York, USA. Notably, his cover photo prominently displays Khalistan flags.

The digital presence of Jagjeet Singh and his alignment with the Khalistan agenda raise questions regarding the authenticity of his journalistic pursuits and his underlying motives.

Jagjeet Singh has positioned himself as a journalist affiliated with Politics Punjab TV. His Twitter activity primarily revolves around Khalistan-related topics. He extensively reports on Khalistan-supporting demonstrations and shares anti-India narratives. Notably, Jagjeet has also come to the defense of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a self-proclaimed terrorist, lauding his actions and endeavors.

Jagjeet Singh’s clear association with the Khalistan movement and his endorsement of individuals linked to terrorism raise concerns regarding his journalistic integrity and the underlying motives he is promoting.

Fake News by Jagjeet Singh:

Jagjeet Singh has been involved in disseminating false information on multiple occasions in support of the Khalistan cause. He has used misleading tactics to manipulate statements made by Margaret Macleod, the spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State.

Jagjeet Singh shared a video of Macleod and inaccurately asserted, “India’s involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Khalistan referendum coordinator in Canada.” Such instances of spreading misinformation and distorting facts can lead to a distorted interpretation of events and exacerbate tensions associated with Khalistan.

Fact Check:

Jagjeet Singh’s assertion is inaccurate as Margaret Macleod did not make such a statement in the video he shared. Macleod’s statement was delivered in Hindi during an interview with ‘PTI,’ where she acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations against Prime Minister Trudeau. She mentioned ongoing discussions with Canadian and Indian counterparts, with details pending the completion of the investigation. Additionally, she emphasized the strong relationship between India and the United States.

Furthermore, Jagjeet Singh has actively tweeted about Khalistan 244 times, and these tweets have generated substantial engagement. To provide context for the impact, these tweets have received approximately 10,218 likes, 8,564 retweets, and 663 comments. Such high levels of engagement indicate that his tweets on this subject have captured significant attention and sparked discussions.

(iii) Harjinder Singh:

Harjinder Singh identifies himself as an American Sikh. According to his bio, he is the media spokesperson for the American Sikh Coordinating Committee-USA and a member of the World Sikh Parliament.

Harjinder Singh maintains a consistent presence on his Twitter account, sharing content that is critical and prominently advocating for the Khalistan cause. This inclination is evident in the provided tweets, where Harjinder articulates anti-India sentiments and extends support to Khalistan. His online activity leaves no doubt about his firm alignment with Khalistan-related matters and his stance against India.

Relationship of Harjinder Singh with Khalistani Dr. Amarjit Singh:

On his Twitter profile, Harjinder Singh has featured a cover photo that prominently displays Dr. Amarjit Singh, a dedicated advocate for Khalistan. Dr. Amarjit Singh’s affiliations with Pakistan and his active participation in Khalistan-related endeavors have been extensively elaborated upon, suggesting a potential link between Harjinder Singh and the Khalistan cause endorsed by Dr. Amarjit Singh.

(iv) Harjeet Singh (@Moksha0013)

When accessing Harjinder Singh’s Twitter profile, one will promptly observe his profile picture featuring him holding a sniper rifle. He self-identifies as a social media influencer and indicates his location as the United States. Harjinder Singh actively advocates for Khalistan and employs his Twitter account as a platform to voice his endorsement for the Khalistan movement.

(v) Jaskaran Sandhu

Jaskaran Sandhu, based in Brampton, Canada, identifies as the co-founder of Canada’s Baaz Media (@BaazNewsOrg) in his bio. Both Jaskaran Sandhu and Baaz Media have faced accusations of subtly endorsing Khalistan. Jaskaran employs strategic language and tactics to advance the Khalistan cause. For instance, in one of his tweets, Sandhu argues that there is nothing inherently wrong with identifying as a Khalistani, associating Khalistan with Sikhism.

In a different tweet, Jaskaran Sandhu skillfully links “Khalistan” to Sikh history and values. His statement reads, “ ‘Khalistan’ isn’t the name of a group or organization ‘Khalistan’ is an idea, based in Sikh principles of sovereignty & the long history of Sikh self determination continuing from the time of our Gurus It is extremely offensive to suggest it is an extremist ideology in of itself”

On the other hand, the Twitter account of Baaz News Org, claimed in a tweet that the Indian government had accused him of violating the Indian IT Act and demanded his suspension.

Analysis of Tweets by Khalistan Supporters:

Our team conducted a comprehensive review of tweets from the profiles of Jagjeet Singh, Harjeet Singh, Harjinder Singh, and Jagdeep Singh. The analysis revealed an upward trend in the frequency of tweets related to Khalistan over time. Notably, a substantial volume of tweets concerning Khalistan was posted by these accounts between July and September 26.

Word Cloud:

The word cloud prominently reflects the prevalence of Khalistan-related discussions in the tweets. These accounts frequently use terms like Nijjar, SFJ (Sikhs for Justice), Pannun, Punjab, Liberate, and Canada in their tweets, highlighting the significance of these keywords in their discussions.

The Pakistan Link to the Khalistani Movement:

Within the realm of individuals actively championing the Khalistan cause, two notable figures emerge. The first is Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, representing Sikhs for Justice, while the second is Dr. Amarjit Singh, affiliated with the Khalistan Affairs Center. Both have orchestrated numerous demonstrations pertaining to Khalistan. Nevertheless, a third individual has emerged as a proponent of the Khalistan movement, asserting its revival in 2016, subsequently garnering substantial traction.

Let’s delve deeper into this individual. His name is Raja Razzaq, originally hailing from Pakistan. His Twitter bio (@RRazzaqPMLN) identifies him as the Chairman of the ‘Pakistani American Think Tank.’ He describes himself as a social worker and media reporter.

The examination of Raja Razzaq’s Twitter account has unveiled a noteworthy assertion. He claims that, in collaboration with his associate Salim Malik, he spearheaded the revival of the Khalistan movement in 2016, and it has since gained substantial momentum. Additionally, he has linked Khalistan to the Kashmir issue.

Raja Razzaq is not an ordinary individual; he occupies a prominent role within Pakistan’s leadership. Numerous photographs depict him alongside Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Moreover, he has ties to Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif’s daughter, as evidenced by photographs of their association. Furthermore, on Twitter, he is followed by Zeeshan Malik (@ZeshanMalick), who serves as the political secretary to Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

Raja Razzaq has posted a poster on his Twitter account, asserting his role as the Chief Organizer of the Youth Wing of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) in the United States. A screenshot of this poster is provided below for reference.

Raja Razzaq has taken an active role in participating in demonstrations organized by Dr. Amarjit Singh, a pro-Khalistan activist based in the United States. Furthermore, he has organized multiple protests related to both Kashmir and Khalistan. In his tweets related to these protests, he has tagged the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and the spokesperson of the Pakistan Armed Forces, DG-ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR). A collage illustrating this is presented below.

A tweet by Raja Razzaq shows him and the Khalistan supporter Dr. Amarjit Singh celebrating the birthdays of, Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The event reportedly included the presence of Ali Khan Yusufzai, the Central Information Secretary and Central President of Nawaz Sharif’s party’s youth wing.

The connection between Raja Rajak, Dr. Amarjit Singh, and Gurpatwant Singh Pannu is another aspect worth exploring. We will delve into how these three individuals are interconnected.

These three individuals share a common link with TV-84, a media entity under scrutiny. TV-84 actively promotes the Khalistan agenda on its YouTube channel. Notably, one of the panel discussions featured Gurpatwant Singh Pannu alongside Dr. Amarjit Singh. This interview was uploaded on July 26, 2015, and also included Avatar Singh Pannun, another member of SFJ, as part of the panel.

Could there be a connection between the ‘Pakistan-American Think Tank’ and the ISI?

According to a report published by India Today on January 17, 2018, Indian intelligence agencies obtained information suggesting that the ‘Pakistan-American Think Tank’ had received financial support from Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, for the purpose of conducting activities against India. The report indicated that, “In the previous month, the fifth annual fundraising event was held in New York, with approximately 200 participants, including numerous Khalistan supporters. Intelligence agencies suspect that the ISI provided funding to the Pakistan-American Think Tank to facilitate the organization of such anti-India activities.”

The Convergence of Pakistani and Khalistani Media:

There are two YouTube channels in question: TV-84 and Republic Plus TV, have emerged as key players in this discussion. TV-84 consistently broadcasts programs featuring Dr. Amarjit Singh, while Republic Plus TV is recognized for its show hosted by Tarik Kiani. Originating from Pakistan, Kiani predominantly focuses on news pertaining to Pakistan and conducts interviews with esteemed Pakistani experts on his YouTube channel.

The Khalistan-related programs conducted by Tarik Kiani in Urdu are uploaded to TV-84’s channel. This can be confirmed by examining the provided screenshot.

On the contrary, our team has observed that Tarik Kiani’s Twitter account is actively utilized to propagate anti-India narratives. He curates and shares news articles and tweets that are critical of India. This can be verified by examining the provided screenshot.

Conclusion:

As the Khalistan cause continues to receive fervent promotion on social media, it relies heavily on the persistent efforts of Khalistan proponents, journalists, scholars, think tanks, social advocates, and social media influencers. Interestingly, the Pakistani-American Think Tank proudly proclaims its role in this Khalistan resurgence, hinting at a conspicuous collaboration dedicated to amplifying the Khalistan agenda. Nevertheless, amidst these orchestrated narratives and tactics, India remains resolute and unwavering in its commitment to stand strong against such divisive narratives.

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Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui

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