Harjit Singh Sajjan appeared before committee over Afghan Sikhs dispute

Harjit Singh Sajjan, who was Canada's Defense Minister in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government, appeared before the parliamentary committee on Tuesday to address the dispute related to Afghan Sikhs. He was accused of ordering special forces to evacuate Afghan Sikhs instead of Canadians during Canada's final rescue operation in Afghanistan, following the Taliban's takeover in 2021.

The current Minister of Emergency Preparedness told the committee that he did not provide special treatment to Afghan Sikhs, but rather acted out of humanitarian concern.

Sajjan explained that the Calgary-based Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation brought the concerns of Afghan Sikhs to his attention. It is worth noting that the Bloc Québécois had called for Sajjan to appear before the committee. Reports in June suggested that he had instructed the military to evacuate approximately 225 Afghan Sikhs, but Sajjan clarified that this was not the case and that he did not issue such an order.

However, the mission ultimately failed, as the Afghan Sikhs had left the rendezvous point before Canadian forces arrived. The group later reached India, and many of them have since resettled in Canada.