Why Pakistan's Kartarpur song features poster of 3 slain Khalistani leaders including Bhindranwale?

New Delhi, Nov 06: Ahead of the official opening of the Kartarpur corridor on November 9, Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting released a video of the official Punjabi song welcoming Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan for the Kartarpur Corridor. The video tweeted in three parts by the Government of Pakistan from its official Twitter handle, shows posters of three Khalistani separatist leaders Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Maj Gen Shabeg Singh and Amrik Singh Khalsa in the background.

The poster has message of 'Khalistan 2020' and referendum written in bold letters.

Started by an organisation known as Sikhs for Justice, 'Referendum 2020' movement is being covertly backed by Pakistan's spy agency ISI.

It should be noted that all three were killed when the Indian Army stormed Golden Temple in June 1984 in Operation Blue Star to free it from terrorists holed inside. An image of Akal Takht, the supreme Sikh temporal body located in the Golden Temple complex, was also featured.

The song shows clips of Sikh pilgrims visiting several gurdwaras across Pakistan, and the poster is visible in the clip featuring Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak.

The development comes in the wake of repeated fears expressed by Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Indian intelligence agencies that Pakistan could use the Kartarpur corridor, scheduled to be opened on November 9, and Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary celebrations, to revive militancy in Punjab, and to promote 'Referendum 2020' movement, started by an organisation called Sikhs for Justice, with tacit support from ISI.

However, this is not the first time that Pakistan has tried to use Kartarpur to back Khalistan. Previously, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had pro-Khalistani separatist Gopal Singh Chawla's name as its members. However, after protest from India, the Imran Khan-led government made some major changes to the committee and removed names of Chawla and others.