Fact-check: No, Pakistani students in US didn't refuse a lecture by Bilawal Bhutto

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Web Desk
News that Pakistani students at Columbia University in the United States have refused to welcome PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is false.— Geo.tv
News that Pakistani students at Columbia University in the United States have refused to welcome PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is false.— Geo.tv

It is true that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto won't be delivering a lecture at Columbia University in the US.

However, news reports being circulated on social media stating that Pakistani students at the varsity refused an offer to let FM Bhutto deliver a lecture are false.

The Organization of Pakistani Students - Columbia University issued a statement denying social media reports about FM Bhutto desire to speak at the university and the students' refusal.

Several social media posts claimed that Bhutto had been rejected the opportunity to speak at a university event by Pakistani students.

Source: Facebook
Source: Facebook

The students clarified their position:

"In response to rumors of refusing Bilawal’s visit:

We, the Organization of Pakistani Students at Columbia University, have not received any interest from Bhutto to speak to the Organization of Pakistani Students and nor have we extended an invite to him. So, the news of any refusal is false. For any further questions and media inquiries, please feel free to email us at [email protected]"

Late last week, news began circulating on social media that students at several well-known universities in the United States had refused to host Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, despite pleas by his team.

Besides tweets by media personalities, a senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shandana Gulzar Khan also tweeted that she was informed by a “person in a sensitive post” that the foreign minister’s team contacted the Columbia University, New York University and Cornell University.

The Pakistani students at the university refused, Khan alleges.

Claim: False

A statement issued by the Organization of Pakistani Students at the Columbia University rebutted the claim, adding that neither did Minister Zardari’s team contact them for any such lecture nor did they extend an invite.