In a startling revelation that could potentially ring alarm bells on the African continent, the Indian Diaspora in South Africa has been subjected to horrifying and terrorising threats from a Pakistan-sponsored group. The threat message was received from a mobile number on November 27, 2020, categorically stating:



“Stop supporting Indian association and Indian Government dogs. Stop acting against our commander Salman Khan, Pak High Commission, Jamat, Samnet and Sapa or Mozambique is not far. Don’t forget wht we did with your CG Shashank was just a trailer and don’t forget France and Austria. Allah ho Akbar”.

This message was sent to several Indian community members residing in South Africa including a Member of Parliament from the Inkatha Freedom Party, Narend Singh. The particular mobile number was also used to send the same threat message to other community members, namely, Derrick Pillay, member of Hindu Dharma Association of South Africa (HINDASA) as well as members of the Indian Association of South Africa (IASA) in Durban.

The Indian Diaspora in South Africa which has historically been instrumental to the nation’s socioeconomic development found this incident shocking and condemnable. They believed this to be the handiwork of members belonging to the South African Kashmir Action Group, a front known to have been created by Pakistan to propagate an anti-India narrative in the country with backdoor funding. It was seen as an attempt by the extremists of the SAKA group, including their leader, to create panic amidst the Indian Diaspora through intimidation and induced fear.

In the threatening message of November 27, 2020, the commander’s name is categorically mentioned as Salman Khan who happens to be the President of the South African Kashmir Action Group (SAKAG) reflecting the interlinkages of the group with the Pakistan High Commission. It is apparent that there is a very clear and explicit involvement of Pakistan in sponsoring this threat to an active Indian Diaspora residing peacefully in South Africa, where they have their own special place, right from the days of the Mahatma and beyond.

Through these messages and threats, the Indian community is also being reminded of the recent horrific episodes of stabbing perpetrated by Pakistanis in the European countries of France and Austria. This is being done to indicate the global presence of extremist Islamic fundamentalists and how they perceive the Indian community, especially a vocal Diaspora as an adversary who needs to be silenced. Quoting these past instances in the message seems like a deliberate attempt to terrorise and silence voices of reason.

To retain peace in this otherwise pluralistic society, the South African Government needs to take these threats very seriously before such incidents take an ugly turn and security is compromised. Associations like SAKAG should be banned and their bank accounts should be frozen to send a clear message to the perpetrators that no such acts of bullying will take place at the behest of Pakistan that too in another sovereign country. Pakistan needs to be clearly told by the Government of South Africa that it will not allow its land and people to be used to fulfil its nefarious designs.
In this regard, the South African Government has already been approached by the High Commission of India in Pretoria on December 7, 2020 by handing over a representation seeking punishment for the perpetrators. To remind the authorities, it cited that in August 2019 too, the SAKAG had turned violent and smashed the window panes of the Chancery Building during a so-called peaceful agitation in front of the Indian Mission. This mentality of perpetrating violence especially on the sovereign soil of another country speaks volumes of the nexus of terrorist agencies with the Pakistani establishment.

It seems clear that the threat messages issued on November 27, 2020 to the Indian Diaspora in South Africa was the handiwork of the extremist group, SAKAG. SAKAG has been known in the past for its violent tendencies having ransacked the house of then Counsellor General, Dr Shashank Vikram, on November 16, 2017 leaving his wife and little children horrified for several hours before the local police reached the spot for their help. The incident was shameful and despicable for any civilised nation to have targeted diplomats in a third country but that didn’t seem to deter Pakistan which has always been hands in glove & nurtured such extremist groups.

It is time to act for the Government of South Africa as a growing tendency to revert to deplorable acts of intimidation, vandalism and violence by certain extremist groups such as SAKAG at the behest of the Pakistani establishment, if left undeterred would eventually impact ties with a country that has otherwise historically been a friend for ages and whose path to freedom in alignment with its own has always been cherished.