Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is one of the main leaders of the Khalistan movement, which advocates for a religion-based separate state to be split out from Punjab and many neighbouring areas in India, to be known as Khalistan. He is the legal advisor and spokesperson for Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which aims to promote the idea of a separate Sikh state. As of July 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs of India has declared Pannun a terrorist on the grounds of sedition and secessionism, and has requested an Interpol red notice for him.
 Pannun was born and brought up in Khankot village at the outskirts of Amritsar, Punjab, India. As of 2023, he described himself as a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.
 Pannun has been actively involved in lobbying for the cause of Khalistan and has been organizing events and rallies in different parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. He has also been involved in filing lawsuits against Indian officials and institutions in international courts, alleging human rights violations against Sikhs. 
 Pannun has claimed responsibility for various terror incidents in India. In April 2023, in a video, he issued a threat to the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi during his visit to Assam. In June 2023, Pannun reportedly went into hiding after the death of three other prominent Khalistani leaders in 2 months.
 In September 2023, a video surfaced in which Pannun warned Indo-Canadian Hindus to leave Canada. The video elicited widespread condemnation from Canadian politicians. Federal party leaders, Pierre Poilievre and Jagmeet Singh, along with ministers in the federal cabinet, denounced the video. Canada’s Public Safety Minister, Dominic LeBlanc, described the video as "offensive and hateful".
 In November 2023, Pannun issued a threat to individuals planning to travel by Air India on November 19 (the date of the 2023 Cricket World Cup finals). In a video widely circulated on social media, he stated: "We are asking the Sikh people not to fly via Air India on November 19. There will be a global blockade. On November 19, don't travel by Air India or your life will be in danger." In response, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security of India directed airport operators in Delhi and Punjab to prohibit the entry of visitors in airports. Shortly after, Canada's Transport Minister, Pablo Rodriguez and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced an investigation into the threats. RCMP spokesperson, Kristin Kelly, stated that the it was collaborating with domestic and international partners and "industry stakeholders" in an investigation into "the threat against Air India flights." Pannun stated that his message was about boycotting, not bombing Air India; he offered a $100,000 cash reward for a citizen's arrest of the Indian High Comissioner, Sanjay Verma, accusing him of misrepresenting his earlier statements on Air India.
 In November 2023, the British newspaper Financial Times (FT) reported that the United States authorities had "thwarted" a plot to kill Pannun in the United States, and the federal prosecutors had filed a sealed indictment against a suspect in a New York district court. The FT also reported that the US had issued a diplomatic warning to India over concerns that the Government of India was involved in the plot. The report came two months after Canada accused Indian agents of being involved in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. A White House spokesperson confirmed the US had informed India about the incident sometime after the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in June 2023. The Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated that the Indian authorities were examining the US inputs. Following this in December, Pannun issued a statement threatening to attack the Parliament House in New Delhi on or before 13 December which is the same day as the 2001 Indian Parliament attack. The Delhi Police has taken note of the situation and has said that precautionary measures will be taken "to prevent any untoward incident".
 In 2020, Pannun was declared a designated terrorist by Government of India and his agricultural land was attached under Section 51A of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Pannun is facing 22 criminal cases, including three of sedition, in Punjab, India. In October 2022, Interpol rejected India's second request to issue a Red Corner Notice on terror charges against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, on the grounds of insufficient information.
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