ISLAMABAD:
Pakistani students studying at top U.S. universities like Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, and the University of Michigan have been affected by unexpected visa cancellations. Reports suggest that these actions were taken without any prior notice or legal process.
The cancellations are being linked to a wider move by the former Trump administration. Some believe that students who took part in protests supporting Palestinian rights are being unfairly targeted. However, many students who didn’t participate in any protests have also lost their visas, raising concerns about discrimination and lack of transparency.
Pakistani student groups in the U.S. have expressed shock and frustration, calling this a violation of academic freedom. Experts say the cancellations happened during a regular audit of the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System), but students were left with almost no options to appeal.
Several U.S. universities are now offering legal help to affected students. Meanwhile, Pakistani embassies have been contacted for support, and student organizations are speaking out about how this may affect international students in general.
The incident has sparked widespread debate, with critics accusing the U.S. authorities of unfairly targeting students based on their background or beliefs.