The Killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada is believed to have been orchestrated by Pakistan and its intelligence agency, the ISI (Inter Service Intelligence), to strain diplomatic ties between India and Canada, according to undisclosed sources.
According to the sources, Rahat Rao and Tariq Kiyani are two operatives planted by the ISI in Canada who are doing most of their work overseas.
Involvement of ISI
As per the sources, due to possible business reasons and to get more cuts from new people, Rao and Kiyani may have been involved in the task of killing Nijjar would have been possible for any unknown person because he was very cautious and guarded. There are many former ISI officials staying in Nijjar’s neighbourhood, from Major Generals to even Hawaldars.
This task to finish Nijjar may have been given to one of these people so that the local drug business could be directly controlled by Rao and Kiyani. Nijjar was becoming very powerful and popular with time and in the local Canadian community.
The sources have further revealed that the trio of Rao, Kiyani and Gurcharan Pannun were possibly involved in this operation to control the drug and immigration business, which is the main source of income for them. Nijjar’s proximity and ties with Pakistan-based group leaders like Wadhwa Singh and Ranjeet Singh Neeta were also a problem for this ISI because they were not able to carry out major tasks, said sources.
These sources have also revealed that the ISI hired individuals with Criminal backgrounds to carry out Nijjar’s murder The main motive behind the killing allegedly stems from the ISI pressure on Nijjar to lend support to the gangsters who had recently entered Canada over the past two years. However, Nijjar was reportedly aligned with former Khalistani leaders, which put him at odds with the ISI agenda.
Furthermore, it is suggested that the ISI is actively working and seeking a replacement for Nijjar and is in the process of mobilising Khalistani terrorists within Canada.
The diplomatic fallout from Nijjar’s assassination saw Canadian PM Justin Trudeau raising concerns about the potential involvement of Indian agents behind the murder, which India straightly dismissed as absurd and motivated. In response, India temporarily suspended the issuance of the visa to Canadian citizens and called for Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in India.
The Planned Murder
The task of killing Hardeep Singh Nijjar was given by Pakistan’s ISI to sharpshooters. They were short and well-built and used face masks and hoodies to conceal themselves. A white sedan blocked Nijjar’s car, and assailants emerged and ambushed him with firearms, A total of 50 bullets were fired by the killers. The assailants fled the scene and police officers and cops came twenty minutes late
Some Canadian authorities advised Nijjar advised him to visit the Gurudwara. He met the Canadian officials six days before his death. It is also believed that the Canadian authorities gave access to the killers. It was a double-cross conspiracy planned and hatched by the ISI.
India at the UNGA
In a recent address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the External Affairs Minister of India, Subramaniam Jaishankar, urged member states not to let political convenience dictate their response to terrorism, extremism and violence. He emphasised the importance of territorial integrity and avoiding interference in internal affairs, stating that selective approaches are no longer acceptable and that the era when a few nations dictated agendas to others has come to an end.
