Continuous air strikes on Pakistani territory and repeated intrusions of Pakistani airspace by US-led coalition forces in stark violation of international norms and customs have troubled Pakistanis across the country. These are very similar to US interventions in the political sphere of our country, where elected leaders are constantly bombarded by the Negropontes and Bouchers of this world. A combination of US geopolitical interests in the region and incompetent leaders unable to say "no" to a global superpower, have seriously undermined Pakistan's physical and political sovereignty.
I had no objections to an award from my high school whose administration and teachers I have the utmost regard for – or at least had until the Americans' actions of June 18. However, the presence as chief guest of the American ambassador (who is basically the Bush administration's representative in Pakistan) presented a rare opportunity to me for making known my concerns as a patriotic Pakistani. It was in the US, more specifically at Harvard, where I had learned to voice my dissent peacefully and non-violently, to stand up for what I believed in and to speak for those who could not have their voices heard, and I thought of putting some of these very values to good use.
After delivering the short speech--"I am refusing this award in protest of repeated US air strikes resulting in the deaths of many innocent Pakistanis and US tacit support for an unconstitutional president, who has destroyed Pakistan's judiciary; my conscience will not forgive me for accepting this award"--I walked back to my seat, relieved that I had used my right to dissent, as guaranteed to me under the Constitution of Pakistan.
Due credit must also be given to Ms Patterson, who acknowledged my protest immediately and informed the audience how proud she was of students like myself. Her calm and political maturity at the day was admirable.
The same could not be said about the school administration. Many of their actions on that day were despicable and unfitting of those who educate the future of Pakistan.
This led to many inaccurate news items claiming I had refused a Harvard scholarship. I contacted all the major newspapers to make clarifications on this misreporting but very few have made the appropriate corrections.
The scholarship I am receiving at Harvard University is funded through gifts of former alums, many of them Pakistanis such as the late Benazir Bhutto, and not by the Bush administration or the US military. Harvard itself has been very proactive in advocating for the rule of law for Pakistan, and recently it awarded the prestigious "Medal of Freedom" to the Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. The administration has been supportive of my activism and even permitted me to take a semester off so that I could be part of the historic lawyers' movement. There are protests around the campus all the time: against the Iraq war, the Chinese crackdown in Tibet and for the restoration of Pakistan's judiciary, among a host of other issues. Surprisingly, my old school administration has dared me to leave a university that stands for principles and is in no way connected to the US bombings of Pakistani territory or of the American government's support for Musharraf!
I am really overwhelmed and thankful to the thousands of Pakistanis who have written to me and called me to show their support. The words of appreciation mean a lot to me and I am afraid I may not be able to reply to everyone. My sincerest gratitude also to all those who have offered scholarships to me in the event my scholarship is revoked. I don't see that happening since such protests are very common in the US and never get the same hype that has been given to mine in Pakistan.
