New Delhi: Pakistan’s Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) is making attempts to revive militancy in Punjab in a big way and camps had been established to train Sikh youths in places including Muscat and Iran, according to the Union Home Ministry.

The annual report of the Ministry for the year 2002 and 2003 said that recent inputs suggest ISI has established training centres for Sikh youths in Muscat, Dubai, Thailand and Iran with the aim of reviving militancy in Punjab.

The report added there were approximately 50 splinter groups of Punjab militants still active that include Babbar Khalsa International, Khalistan Zindabad Force, its splinter group headed by Ranjit Singh Neeta and International Sikh Youth Federation (Rode) faction.

The report said there were inputs suggesting plans by terrorists based in foreign countries to revive terrorism in the state.

"Terrorist elements based in the US and Canada are keen to register their presence through one or two major actions and they have been exploring the possibility of engineering attacks on political functionaries," it added.

There were reports that Pakistan was making efforts to revive Sikh militancy in Punjab in a big way and ISI officials had assured an overseas pro-Khalistani Sikh delegation about its commitment to revive the Khalistan movement during the Baisakhi celeberations in 2002.

PTI