ISLAMABAD: Thousands of Canadian Sikhs gathered in Ottawa on Saturday to participate in a referendum organized by the secessionist group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) on the political future of India’s Punjab region.
According to the organizers, more than 53,000 voters from several Canadian provinces, including Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec, cast their ballots at the McNabb Community Centre, where long queues formed despite freezing temperatures and snowy conditions.
SFJ said the turnout reflected strong community interest in the non-binding referendum, which the group describes as a peaceful, ballot-based campaign. Voting continued beyond the scheduled closing time to accommodate participants who remained in line.
In a video message to the gathering, SFJ’s legal counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun criticized India’s policies in Punjab and reiterated the group’s demands for an independent Khalistan. He also questioned Canada’s engagement with India, particularly the Carney Government’s talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G20 summit.
SFJ volunteers asked voters whether Canada should pursue trade discussions with India without further accountability regarding the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh activist. The group claimed that most respondents opposed the talks, though official voter data has not been independently verified.
Canadian authorities have not commented on Saturday’s voting exercise. The referendum, part of a series organized by SFJ in Western countries, carries no legal status in Canada or India, but continues to draw significant participation from segments of the Sikh diaspora.