In U-turn, Canada withdraws extra screening for travellers to India

The Canadian government has rolled back the additional security screening measures for travellers flying to India, just days after implementing them, CBC News reported.
The move comes amid heightened diplomatic tensions between Ottawa and New Delhi over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Transport Minister Anita Anand had announced the enhanced screenings earlier this week.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the government would temporarily implement additional security screening for travellers to India,” Anand had said in a statement.
The government did not specify the reasons for lifting the new protocols.
The measures, carried out by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), involved screening passengers and baggage at airports before entering restricted areas. According to reports, the additional screening on India-bound flights resulted in delays and long queues at airports.
The announcement of increased screenings followed a bomb threat in October aboard an Air India flight travelling from New Delhi to Chicago. The flight was diverted to Iqaluit in Canada, where no explosives were found after an inspection.
Adding to the security concerns, Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun recently issued a public threat against flying Air India from November 1 to 19. The warning coincided with what Pannun referred to as the “40th anniversary of the Sikh genocide” in India.
Pannun, who holds dual Canadian and US citizenship, has made similar threats in the past.
Canada and India have been locked in a diplomatic standoff since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations that the Indian government was involved in Nijjar’s murder on Canadian soil. India has consistently denied the claims, calling them “absurd” and “motivated”.
Relations hit a new low when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) accused Indian agents of engaging in criminal activities in Canada, including murder and intimidation. Both countries have since expelled top envoys and frozen cooperation on several fronts.