Stewart Sharma Harsanyi Calgary Immigration Law Firm Blog

Refugee Claims from India -Supporters of Khalistan

Many Sikhs have long advocated for a separate homeland -Khalistan. Some point to historical grievances, whether by the British colonial government and its successor Indian government headed by Nehru. Great impetus was given to these aspirations of independence and autonomy by the ill-conceived attack on the Golden Temple, and the reprisals against innocent Sikhs following the assassination of Nehru's daughter, the first woman PM of India, Indira Gandhi. The bloody aftermath resulted in displacement and dislocation; many came to Canada and made refugee claims. With time and pacification of Punjab, that particular claim profile receded. Over time, there have been different players that have advocated for Khalistan. One of the more recent is Sikhs for Justice. This organization has spearheaded a referendum for November 2020 in which members of the Sikh community (and others that have a connection with historical Punjab) are to mark their support for an independent state. Should it succeed, the organizers will forward to the United Nations. SFJ has been banned by the Indian Home Ministry. The establishment of a separate Sikh homeland is once again in the consciousness of many. There have been ebbs and flows to such claims. More recently, there are troubling signs... Read more →

Refugee Claims from Pakistan -the Marginalization and Persecution of Progressive Voices

Liberal and secular individuals in Pakistan have a thin margin of error. That margin of error has been shrinking of late. There is a reason that Pakistan has consistently been a refugee producing country. It has one of the lengthiest National Documentation Package (NDP) up on the IRB site. Our Canadian government has the following to say about Canadians visiting Pakistan. Of course generalizations should be avoided. Country condition reports will never encapsulate or provide us with the reality of life in any country. Liberal, secular and "western" influence "is pervasive in many parts of Pakistan, particularly in large urban centres...Many Pakistanis have relatives in western countries and many more aspire to migrate abroad. Those living abroad return to Pakistan frequently to visit relatives." (DFAT Country Information Report: Pakistan. Australia. DFAT. 1 September 2017). I myself hope to visit Pakistan one day. However, it's clear that there is increasing (religious) extremism in Pakistan (see for example the 2018 Report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom). Stray but a little, and such an individual can be caught between the hammer and anvil of the state and the (religious) mob. The interpretation of blasphemy laws has exacerbated religious extremism -both... Read more →