Tag Archives: protest

Samad Khurram: The Pakistani Student who Refused to Accept Harvard Scholarship

The news, and subsequently the Pakistani blogosphere, was abuzz during the last week over a Pakistani student’s refusal to accept Harvard Scholarship from the US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson in an award distribution ceremony in Islamabad.

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The US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson was the Chief Guest on the occasion where this incident happened and she was made to face big embarrassment when the whole hall echoed with a loud applause for the student over his decision.

Samad refused the award as a protest on the recent cross border attack by Americans in Mohmand Agency, which resulted in the death of 20 Pakistani soldiers and still many more are missing.

Ms. Patterson and other U.S.embassy officials were shocked and embarrassed when Samad walked to the stage to receive his award but then announced he was refusing the honor to protest the unprovoked American violation of Pakistani airspace and the murder of innocent Pakistanis.

A shaken Ms. Patterson smiled sheepishly and tried to make the best out of an embarrassing moment.

I highly commend what Samad did. Yes, he may still be in Harvard and still getting the scholarship, but he was at least able to bring this incident into the limelight.

Here are a few more links from around the blogosphere:

… Because what Samad has done is something that our politicians don’t have the guts to do in a million years! He stood strong and determined and in his own way snubbed the representative of the United States, calling their recent attack on Pakistani soil as that of a coward.

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