WASHINGTON: US-based advocacy group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has announced a commitment of $1 billion to support the first official meeting of the proposed Board of Peace.
It described the move as a historic step toward addressing the Khalistan issue through diplomatic and democratic channels.
Hundreds of members of the Sikh community from across the United States gathered in Washington, D.C. to call for peace, unity, and renewed political engagement. Speakers at the event characterized Khalistan as an unresolved political matter and urged a peaceful, internationally supervised solution similar to other global conflict-resolution frameworks.
SFJ’s General Counsel, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, alleged that pro-referendum Sikh youth have faced repression, claiming that thousands have been detained or labeled as criminals due to their political beliefs.
He emphasized the need for what he described as an internationally monitored referendum in Indian-administered Punjab.
Participants called on former U.S. President Donald Trump to engage directly with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the proposal for a referendum under the supervision of the U.S. State Department. Organizers stated that their objective is to pursue independence for Punjab through democratic and non-violent means.
Political analysts note that the announcement may draw increased attention to the Khalistan movement within American political discourse.
However, they caution that such initiatives could have diplomatic implications for U.S.-India relations, even as proponents frame the effort as a peaceful path toward conflict resolution.
