LAHORE, Pakistan — Gopal Singh Chawla, a prominent Khalistan advocate and former head of the now-defunct Punjabi Sikh Sangat (PSS), has alleged that Pakistan’s security apparatus has held him under effective house arrest for more than two years and is preventing him from reuniting with his family.
In audio messages shared with associates, Chawla claims he has been confined to a “safe location” on the grounds of supposed threats from India — a justification he describes as fabricated. He says Pakistani intelligence officials have denied him the right to live with his wife and children, allowing only a handful of brief meetings at Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib since 2023. Chawla alleges that he has been cut off from all community and religious work, including the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
Chawla also raised concerns over the recent disappearance of another Sikh, Mor Singh, a sevadar at Gurdwara Shri Tambu Sahib. He asserts that unidentified security personnel detained Singh while he was visiting relatives in Nankana Sahib ahead of Gurpurab.
In a broader criticism, Chawla accused local “land mafias” of exerting control over hundreds of gurdwaras in Pakistan and claimed religious properties were being illegally sold or leased. He further alleged that his true security threat comes not from abroad but from Pakistan’s intelligence services and Punjab legislator Ramesh Singh Arora, charges that could not be independently verified.
Chawla says prolonged isolation at Gurdwara Chowa Sahib has resulted in financial distress and declining health. Sikh community members in Nankana Sahib released a video urging authorities to ensure his safety, provide medical care, and permit him to reunite with his seriously ill daughter and mother.
Pakistani officials have not commented publicly on Chawla’s allegations.
