ISLAMABAD — Khalistan advocate Gopal Singh Chawla, former president of the now-defunct Punjabi Sikh Sangat (PSS), has publicly accused Pakistani authorities and intelligence agencies of subjecting him to prolonged isolation, harassment, and what he describes as “fabricated” allegations, according to new reports and recently surfaced audio messages.
Chawla claims he has been under house arrest for two and a half years, confined to what officials allegedly call a “safe and protected” location due to purported threats to his life from India. In his recordings, Chawla rejects that explanation, saying it is a false narrative used to justify his confinement.
According to a report by Khalsa Vox, Chawla alleged that Pakistani authorities have barred him from staying with his family during this period. He said he was allowed only four or five short meetings with his wife and children, most of them taking place at Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib in Punjab province.
Chawla also broadened his criticism to Pakistan’s handling of Sikh religious sites, claiming that more than 300 gurdwaras are under the control of land mafias. He accused these groups of neglecting the properties, illegally selling or leasing gurdwara land, and undermining Sikh heritage and community rights.
He further claimed that agency officials warned him of supposed threats from Afghanistan, a claim he dismissed as a diversion. Instead, he alleged that he feels threatened by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and by Ramesh Singh Arora, a prominent Sikh political figure in Pakistan.
Chawla said his confinement at Gurdwara Chowa Sahib in Rohtas has led to severe social isolation, financial strain, and declining health. He appealed to Sikh leaders around the world to raise his situation on international platforms, arguing that his case highlights what he called widespread mismanagement of Sikh religious institutions in Pakistan.
In response, the local Sikh Sangat of Sri Nankana Sahib, led by former granthi Mahindra Pal Singh, released a video urging Pakistani officials and security agencies to ensure Chawla’s safety and well-being.
Concerns about the condition of Sikhs in Pakistan have gained renewed attention. A report published Monday in the UK-based Asian Lite said the Sikh community continues to face a deterioration in religious freedom, citing disappearances, forced conversions, targeted killings, and systemic discrimination.
“From missing persons to coerced conversions, from targeted killings to systemic discrimination, Sikhs in Pakistan endure a reality where justice is elusive and prejudice unchecked,” the report stated, warning that without urgent action to protect minority rights, the community’s long-term survival in the country remains at risk. (Source: IANS)
