Islamabad – Khalistan movement leader and General Counsel of the banned group “Sikhs for Justice” (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has invoked Pakistan’s historic resistance during the 1965 war as an example for Sikhs in their pursuit of self-determination.

In a recent video posted on social media, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said the Sikh community must adopt the same courage and resilience that Pakistan demonstrated six decades ago when facing Indian aggression.

Despite being a smaller country with limited resources, Pakistan stood firm against an adversary five times larger. Its faith, honor, and courage were limitless, he said. Today, the Sikh nation must embrace that same spirit if we are to achieve freedom and secure our rights before the world.

Notably, later, the video has been deleted from social media.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US-based lawyer and long-time advocate of the Khalistan cause, is among the most prominent faces of Sikh separatism abroad. India has outlawed his group, Sikhs for Justice, under anti-terrorism laws and designated him a terrorist in 2020. Despite this, SFJ continues to campaign internationally, organizing unofficial “Khalistan referendums” in parts of Europe and North America to garner support for an independent Sikh homeland in India’s Punjab state.

The Khalistan leader’s comments came as Pakistan marked its annual Defence Day on September 6, commemorating the outbreak of the 1965 war when Indian forces launched an offensive across the border. Contrary to expectations from global powers and New Delhi’s leadership at the time, Pakistan’s military and civilian population mounted a defense that foiled Indian advances, particularly around Lahore and Sialkot.

For decades, Sikh separatists have pointed to Pakistan’s courage in that conflict as symbolic of how a smaller nation can resist Indian dominance. Many within the Khalistan movement continue to highlight the suffering of Sikhs during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and military operations, including the storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, as the catalyst for their demand for an independent homeland.

Analysts say Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s remarks underline how Pakistan’s historical military experience continues to resonate with movements challenging New Delhi. “By drawing parallels with Pakistan’s 1965 war, Sikh leaders frame their struggle not just as a local grievance but as part of a broader narrative of resistance against Indian state power,” said one South Asia security expert.

The Khalistan movement, though weakened inside India due to crackdowns and lack of mass mobilization, has found a strong base among Sikh diaspora communities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of covertly backing Khalistani groups, a charge Islamabad denies.

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