With the recent instance of the Canadian High Commission’s declination of the visa application of former Border Security Force personnel, many similar cases have cropped up of late. Reportedly, immigration petitions from many BSF officers from Punjab were rejected in a number of instances. For instance, before the case of Fateh Singh Pandher, two more applications from the border protection crew officials were refused by the commission. For reason the latter stated that both the personnels who applied for the visa were involved in “anti-military activity”. Besides, they were believed to have participated in actions that had the tendency to violate human rights in Punjab.
According to reports, the two officers were filing petitions who intended to visit Canada for personal recreation. But, many officials from Punjab have claimed that the Canadian commission makes multiple charges of wrongdoings against the officers. The commission does not even bother to verify the charges, whether an officer is involved in activities like human rights violation or not or if there are cases of such wrongdoings have been filed against him or not.
Punjab police officers have put forward the matter in front of the country’s Union home ministry. According to sources, now BSF personnels who intend to file petition for a Canada visa will need to complete a distinctive form. The form would contain an officer’s details regarding the places where has served during his job tenure. It is believed that the Canadian high commission has recognized six districts in Punjab where maximum instances of anti-military activities are recorded.