Pakistani-American student declines Columbia University's offer over crackdown on pro-Palestine activists

Pakistani-American student Amara Khan declined an admission offer from Columbia University, one of the leading universities in the US, in protest against the arrests and harassment of pro-Palestinian students on campus.

According to a report, Amara Khan expressed her concerns in an email response to the university administration, stating that Columbia had failed to protect students' freedom of expression.

Amara criticised in her letter that Columbia University's claim to promote diversity and inclusion is "hypocritical."

The university's failure to protect the voices of marginalised communities highlights a clear contradiction between its words and actions, she asserted. 

Read: US court stops Trump admin from deporting Columbia University student over Gaza protests

She further emphasised that a university that claims to foster critical thinking and free speech should not silence those advocating for justice.

Amarah further added that as a Muslim American, she cannot choose an educational institution where pleasing the authorities is prioritised over intellectual freedom. 

Fear and outrage have gripped Columbia University after Palestinian graduate student Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by authorities for participating in protests against Israel’s war on Gaza.