Khalistani Group Threatens NZ Deputy PM After Comments on Canada Case
Pro-Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has threatened New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters in the wake of his statements on the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada last year. Pannun, head of the banned Sikhs for Justice outfit, took issue with Peters questioning the evidence linking India to Nijjar’s death.
During a recent India visit, Peters said that as a lawyer, he saw no conclusive proof presented against alleged Indian involvement, as claimed. The Deputy PM highlighted the lack of a substantiated case or findings corroborating such accusations, departing from Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s earlier stance.
This marks the first time a Five Eyes partner has openly differed with Ottawa. Nijjar’s killing in Surrey last June had stoked tensions between India and Canada with unproven allegations of a Delhi-backed operation. While the probe continues, outgoing Canadian security advisers in January commented on cooperation from Indian authorities.
However, Pannun, already in the news for a poster calling for violence against Indian diplomats, has now threatened Indian missions in New Zealand as well. This development comes against the backdrop of Peters publicly backing India’s position in questioning the evidence implicating its role in the case.
