Pakistan, Aug. 13 -- LAHORE - Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a prominent figure in the U.S.-based group Sikhs for Justice, accused India on Wednesday of carrying out what he described as a campaign of genocide, economic pressure and demographic change against Sikhs.

Read More: Gurpatwant Singh Pannun signals armed struggle against India

Speaking at a news conference in Lahore, Pannun congratulated Pakistanis on their Independence Day and praised the country's military leadership under Gen. Asim Munir, saying Pakistan was playing an important role on the global stage.

Pannun alleged that Sikhs were subjected to mass killings during the 1947 partition and again during the violence of the 1980s, including the 1984 anti-Si...