Backlash grows after Pahalgam terror attack as students demand visa revocations and accountability
Indian students at Harvard University have launched a strong protest against the presence of Pakistani delegates on campus following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 28 civilians, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
Harvard students call visit insensitive in wake of Kashmir killings
The student-led opposition erupted after the university welcomed a Pakistani delegation for a scheduled conference. Many Indian students argued that hosting such guests so soon after a deadly terror attack—allegedly backed by Pakistan-based groups—was insensitive and inappropriate.
Letter to U.S. Secretary of State demands action and visa revocations.
In a letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Harvard students Surabhi Tomar and Abhishek Chaudhari called for the revocation of U.S. visas issued to all Pakistani officials involved in the visit. “Welcoming representatives of a government that enables or justifies terrorism risks Harvard being complicit,” the students stated.
The letter also urged the U.S. government to confront Hinduphobia and ensure that American institutions uphold a clear moral stance against terrorism and religiously motivated violence. The students claimed the Pahalgam attack was not a random incident, but a targeted assault with ideological underpinnings.
In response to the growing controversy, Harvard reportedly removed promotional materials related to the event, including posters and social media content, in a move seen as an attempt to manage the fallout.
The students continue to press both Harvard administration and U.S. officials to take tangible actions, including visa revocations, to send a clear message against terror sympathizers.