Infighting is ongoing within the terror group Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), more than 4 months after the death of its leader Harmeet Singh alias Happy PhD on January 27, 2020, reports DNA on June 3. In the fray for the leadership of KLF are radical elements from Pakistan, United Kingdom (UK), Italy and Switzerland. As per the report, Pakistan-based Lakhbir Singh Rode also ‘chief’ of International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), UK based Paramjeet Singh Panjwar, Gursharanvir Singh Wahiwala, KLF ‘spokesperson’ Dhanna Singh, Italy based Gurjinder Singh Shastri and Switzerland based Pappu Singh are trying to take the leadership of the group.
Reportedly, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has been backing Lakhbir Singh Rode and Paramjeet Singh Panjwar. Both are trying to get support from cadre based in Italy, Germany, Canada and the UK to become next KLF ‘chief’. Wahiwala and Shastri do not seem to have the support of the ISI, which can make things difficult for them. Also, KLF is now heading towards a schism with a new faction emerging led by UK based Gursharanvir Singh Wahiwala. Wahiwala is getting support from cadres in Canada, US and Italy. What has increased the infighting is Wahiwala alleging that Dhanna Singh, the spokesperson of KLF, is responsible for the killing of Happy PhD.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s ISI is likely to facilitate a video conference between leaders of various Sikh militant groups operating in Pakistan and other countries as differences have emerged among them following the death of the KLF leader, Harmeet Singh alias Happy PhD, reports The Times of India on June 4. According to intelligence agencies, “There is a cut-throat competition among the Sikh militant groups in Pakistan to become ISI ‘favourite’ and Happy’s murder was a clear-cut result of the dominance of a different Sikh militant outfit. Otherwise, no one could have even touched him, that too outside a gurdwara. We are of the view that ISI will soon hold a video conference among the warring Sikh militant leaders from UK, Europe and Pakistan to bring about a truce.”