CAMBRIDGE: A recent ‘Pakistan Conference’ hosted by Harvard University’s South Asia Institute has sparked significant backlash from students, who criticised the event for potentially legitimising state-backed terror narratives on campus.
The controversy escalated following the deadly Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which students described as a “targeted, religion-based massacre”.
Harvard student Surabi Tomar, speaking on Harvard’s South Asia Institute hosting a ‘Pakistan Conference,’ said, “The horrible attack in Pahalgam was a targeted, religion-based massacre. When Harvard invites officials, especially officials who have ideologically justified such acts, it risks legitimising the state-backed terror narratives on our campus. This is the reason why we thought that we should take some action or ask people to take some action.”
Elaborating more on the event, Tomar said, “It was a pre-planned event, and it was a coincidence. However, even given the coincidence, we do not think that it is correct for anyone, especially a university like Harvard, to legitimise such voices, especially when they in their country are trying to justify such acts and not condemning them”.
#WATCH | Cambridge, US: On Harvard’s South Asia Institute hosting a ‘Pakistan Conference’, Surabi Tomar, Harvard University Student, says, “The horrible attack in Pahalgam was a targeted religion-based massacre. When Harvard invites officials, especially officials who have… pic.twitter.com/tGhlj3J6lj
— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2025
She further said that the students have urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “deny visas to officials who support terror-linked ideologies.”
“We shouldn’t stay silent after a faith-based killing; that is our belief. We consulted our peers. We received a great deal of support from students from 65 countries. We read the testimonies of survivors, and we acted on a shared moral obligation to speak out. We emphasised that this was not random violence. It was religious persecution. We urged Harvard to stand against Hinduphobia and asked the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to deny visas to officials who support terror-linked ideologies”, Tomar added.
Another student, Rashmini Koparkar, expressed disappointment, stating that the guests at the event didn’t condemn the Pahalgam attack and show sensitivity.
“We were expecting a certain degree of sensitivity and acknowledgement of what has happened. The event was pre-planned and already discussed. It was a coincidence that the event took place within five days. However, a more thoughtful gesture would have been preferable. First of all, they could have condemned the attacks. Secondly, the number of guests and the high-ranking officials that were arriving at this event were actually in question because this is a state which has been harbouring cross-border terrorism for years. India has been suffering,” Koparkar said.
Meanwhile, amid growing controversy over the “Pakistan Conference,” Harvard University’s South Asia Institute issued a statement in defence of the event. The Institute extended its condolences to the victims of the Pahalgam attack, while clarifying that the students and their faculty advisor had independently organised the conference.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the South Asia Institute said, “The Institute supports academic research projects and works with other university partners on multiple events throughout the academic year. One such event was “The Pakistan Conference,” organised by students from Harvard and held on April 27, 2025. In accordance with our principles of operation, we did not consult any benefactor of the Institute regarding this conference. The students, along with their faculty advisor, independently determined the topics and speakers presenting… We share the grief and anguish with our friends, colleagues, and loved ones in India who have been affected by the attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, and we offer our heartfelt condolences.” (ANI)
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