Indian Students At Protest Harvard's ‘Pakistan Conference’ Days After Pahalgam Terror Attack

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian students at Harvard University protested a recent "Pakistan Conference" hosted by the college’s South Asia Institute. They have criticised the event for potentially legitimising state-backed terror narratives on campus.

The students have described the attack that occurred in Jammu and Kashmir as a "targeted, religion-based massacre."

While speaking with ANI, Harvard student Surabi Tomar 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."

Tomar agreed that the conference was pre-planned and was a coincidence, but she said that “we do not think that it is correct for anyone, especially a university like Harvard legitimise such voices”, especially since the country is trying to justify and not condemn the attack.

The students also wrote to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging the Trump administration to revoke the visas of Pakistani officials travelling for the event. They called on the US government to “stand with victims and uphold America’s moral clarity in the face of terrorism”.

“Welcoming representatives of a government that enables or justifies terrorism risks Harvard being complicit,” the joint letter to Rubio read, according to a PTI report. “The United States must not host representatives of a state that protects and promotes organisations targeting civilians based on faith.”

Tomar said that they consulted their peers and received support 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,” Tomar said.

Another student, Rashmini Koparkar, expressed disappointment, stating that the guests at the event didn't condemn the Pahalgam attack and show sensitivity.

She said that “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 added.

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Meanwhile, amid growing controversy over the "Pakistan Conference," Harvard University's South Asia Institute issued a statement in defence of the event and offered condolences to the victims of the attack.

Statement From The South Asia Institute

The statement that was issued on Tuesday read that the South Asia Institute supports “academic research projects and works with other university partners on multiple events throughout the academic year.”

And that "The Pakistan Conference" was one such event that was 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."

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