New Delhi, August 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is attempting to advance a softer version of the Khalistan agenda in Punjab by encouraging sympathisers to enter mainstream politics ahead of the upcoming elections, according to intelligence officials.
Officials said the alleged shift in strategy comes after repeated failures to revive the separatist movement in Punjab through conventional means. The new approach, they claimed, resembles tactics allegedly adopted by the ISI in Jammu and Kashmir, where overground workers (OGWs) were encouraged to join mainstream political parties to influence political discourse from within.
According to intelligence officials, the ISI is now identifying individuals in Punjab who support the Khalistan movement and encouraging them either to join established political parties or contest elections as independent candidates.
“The ISI is looking for persons who believe in the Khalistan movement so that they could carry forward the agenda once they enter mainstream politics,” officials said.
An Intelligence Bureau (IB) official said the objective of the strategy is to gradually influence political discourse in favour of the Khalistan narrative through democratic platforms.
Security officials maintained that Indian agencies have consistently acted against Khalistan-linked activities, limiting the movement’s ability to regain momentum in Punjab. While there have been occasional low-intensity incidents, officials said the lack of sustained activity has prompted the alleged change in strategy.
According to officials, if such efforts succeed, individuals entering mainstream politics could later begin advocating the Khalistan ideology, potentially lending political legitimacy to the movement and expanding its influence.
Officials also claimed that Khalistan-linked groups have come under increasing pressure not only in India but also abroad. They said countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada have intensified action against extremist elements linked to the movement.
Intelligence officials further alleged that these groups had relied on overseas support and criminal networks involved in targeted killings and narcotics smuggling to sustain their activities, but increasing enforcement has weakened those channels.
In view of the perceived threat, intelligence agencies have advised political parties in Punjab to exercise caution while inducting new members. Officials warned that some individuals may initially avoid publicly associating themselves with the Khalistan movement but could attempt to promote its ideology after entering mainstream politics.
According to intelligence inputs, such alleged infiltration could occur at both senior and grassroots levels within political parties.
Officials cautioned that even grassroots-level infiltration could pose long-term security concerns if such individuals use political platforms to gradually promote separatist narratives.
They warned that any attempt to propagate the Khalistan ideology under the banner of mainstream political parties could create a perception of legitimacy and influence public discourse.
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