Sajjan says he relayed information on rescuing Sikhs in Afghanistan during chaotic fall of Kabul

Then-defence minister Harjit Sajjan relayed information to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) about how to rescue Sikhs in Afghanistan while troops were trying to get Canadians out of Kabul as it was falling to the Taliban in August of 2021.

Sajjan said in a media statement Thursday that, as minister, he "did not order" Canadian Special Operations Forces to rescue Sikhs in Kabul.

He said Sikhs in Afghanistan were not given priority over Canadians and other groups that Canada was intent on rescuing from a country that had just fallen to a group listed as a terrorist entity under Canadian law.

Sajjan confirmed he did relay information to the armed forces provided to him by a Canadian Sikh group — a non-governmental organization (NGO) that was encouraging the Canadian government to rescue Afghan Sikhs and resettle them in this country.

He said he provided the information "through the appropriate chain of command to assist the group of Afghan Sikhs who had been determined eligible for evacuation."

"I relayed whatever information the NGO provided about the location and status of these Sikhs to the chain of command for it to use as it saw fit, in line with its operational plan on the ground in Afghanistan."

The Globe and Mail published a different interpretation of those events on Thursday.

The paper, citing unnamed sources, said that Sajjan, who currently serves as the minister for emergency preparedness, "instructed Canadian special forces to rescue about 225 Afghan Sikhs" — members of a religious minority in Afghanistan — who were "not considered an operational priority for the Canadian military as they had no link to Canada."

The military's stated priority during the evacuation was to support Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family members, as well as vulnerable Afghans who had assisted Canada during its military operation in the country.

The government also identified other groups, including Afghan religious minorities and members of LGBTQ community, as potential evacuees to be resettled.

After interpreting Sajjan's communications about the Afghan Sikhs as an order from the minister to rescue them, Canadian special forces tried to track the Sikhs down and bring them to the airport to be flown out to safety, the paper reported.

The Globe and Mail said some of its military sources felt "Sajjan was out of line in pressing Canadian special forces to rescue the Afghan Sikhs" because the operation involved "intense planning and it meant fewer soldiers were available to screen people awaiting the last flights out of Kabul."

The Globe and Mail says it was told by military sources the mission to rescue the Sikhs was a "logistical nightmare" that happened as Canadian forces were "trying to hurry and process people through who have Canadian passports."

Speaking to reporters at an unrelated announcement in B.C., Sajjan said the Globe and Mail's story was "utter BS."