Who was Khalistan commando force chief Paramjit Singh, Killed in Lahore?

06:26 PM May 06, 2023 IST | Ground report

Paramjit Singh Panjwar, leader of the Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) and known terrorist, was killed by two unidentified gunmen in the city of Johar in Lahore, Pakistan. The incident occurred near Panjwar’s residence at Sunflower Society in Johar Town at around 6 a.m. on Saturday. In the encounter, the Panjwar shooter was also wounded.

According to news reports, Paramjit Singh Panjwar, also known by his alias Malik Sardar Singh, a notorious terrorist and Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) leader, was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen in the Sunflower Society of Jauhar town in Lahore, Pakistan, according to media reports.

Panjwar, also known as Malik Sardar Singh, was involved in smuggling drugs and weapons into the Indian Punjab using drones. He joined the KCF in 1986 and took over its leadership after his cousin, Labh Singh, was assassinated by Indian security forces in the 1990s.

Panjwar fled to Pakistan, where he remained on the country’s most-wanted list of terrorists and kept the KCF alive through cross-border arms smuggling and heroin trafficking. He died at the scene from gunshot wounds sustained during the attack.

Panjwar was a major participant in several terror attacks, including the 2010 twin bombings in the cities of Patiala and Ambala, as well as the 2009 assassination of Rulda Singh, leader of the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat. He was also allegedly involved in recent drug and weapons smuggling into the Indian state of Punjab using unmanned drones.

‘Panjwar was accused in various cases registered and being investigated by the Punjab Police. Red Corner Notice No. A-461/09-I 995 had been issued against Paramjit Singh Panjwar,’ the statement added.

Who was Paramjit Singh?

Born in Panjwar village near Taran Taran, Majha region of the state of Punjab, Paramjit Singh Panjwar went to Pakistan in 1994 to raise funds for the banned Babbar Khalsa organization, which advocates separatism in countries with a significant Indian diaspora.

He was radicalized by his cousin Labh Singh and joined KCF in 1986, leaving his job at a Central Cooperative Bank in Sohal. After Labh Singh was neutralized by Indian security forces, Paramjit took over KCF in the 1990s and fled to Pakistan during a crackdown.

He was at the top of the list of most wanted terrorists protected by Pakistan and kept KCF alive by smuggling arms and drugs from Pakistan to India.

While Pakistan denied the presence of designated terrorists on its soil, Paramjit lived in Lahore, while his wife and children moved to Germany.

Khalistan Commando Force’s objective?

the KCF aimed to support Khalistani terrorist groups to achieve their goal of forming a separate Sikh homeland by breaking Punjab from India. It had a hierarchical structure with members of the Panthic committee forming the first and second levels of leadership, and AISSF cadres forming the third level.

Letter head logo of the KCF during the leadership of Labh Singh.

Paramjit Singh Panjwar, the former KCF chief, was the main accused and plotter in several terror attacks, including the 2010 twin bombings in the cities of Patiala and Ambala, and the 2009 murder of Rulda Singh.

In December 2015, police in Portugal arrested Panjwar following an Interpol red corner tip issued at the request of the Indian government. Despite India’s extradition request, the Portuguese government released him.