Intelligence agencies claim Pakistan's ISI is targeting Sikh communities

According to a CNN-News18 report, Indian intelligence agencies have expressed apprehension that Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI, is attempting to gain influence within Sikh communities by using religious tourism, people-to-people contacts, and diaspora networks. It has been claimed that this strategy is being adopted to distract India's security apparatus and promote extremist narratives ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Punjab.

Plans for the reopening of a historic Gurdwara in Lahore after nearly 79 years and the expansion of another religious site have come to light, which are being monitored by Indian intelligence agencies. The Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib, located on Temple Road in Lahore, had been closed since the 1947 partition; it was reopened for religious worship on 8 November after the completion of restoration work. Officials from Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), members of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, and Sikh religious leaders were present at this ceremony.

This reopening occurred less than a month after the ETPB announced the expansion of Gurdwara Janam Asthan Guru Ram Das Ji, located in Chuna Mandi, Lahore. Approximately 13 marlas of surrounding commercial land are to be included in this shrine, known as the birthplace of the fourth Sikh Guru, to provide more space and facilities for pilgrims and religious rituals.

Pakistan is presenting these initiatives as efforts for the preservation of Sikh heritage and the convenience of pilgrims, but top intelligence sources believe there is a broader strategic objective behind these moves. They believe that the ISI may use religious tourism to increase its influence within Sikh communities.

According to intelligence sources, the main concern is not just the renovation or expansion of religious sites, but the access and connection opportunities provided by the increasing movement of pilgrims. Sources claim that travel corridors and religious gatherings could be used by Pakistan-based handlers to establish primary contact with Indian visitors, which is subsequently followed by encrypted digital communication via social media platforms.

Furthermore, it has also been claimed that locally recruited individuals are sometimes paid between ₹50,000 and ₹1 lakh for handling prohibited material from across the border. Sources state that the management of major Sikh religious sites by organizations like the ETPB, including facilities around the Kartarpur Corridor, could provide opportunities to monitor visitors, build contacts, and in some cases, attempt recruitment or ideological influence.

Sources have also drawn attention to extensive outreach efforts targeting Sikh communities living in Canada, the US, and the United Kingdom, which indicate Pakistan's intention to increase influence by using diaspora networks.