Former Students Solidarity March organiser says support for Indian demonstrators highlights double standards
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani student activist Arooj Aurangzeb has renewed debate over public attitudes toward student movements after criticising what she described as contrasting reactions to protests in Pakistan and India.
Aurangzeb first gained national attention in 2019 when a video of her reciting a revolutionary poem during the Students Solidarity March went viral on social media, making her one of the most recognisable faces of the campaign advocating student unions, representation and education reforms.
According to supporters of the movement, the protests were followed by increased pressure on organisers. Aurangzeb and other activists said they faced state action, while they also alleged that mainstream media outlets were discouraged from extensively covering the demonstrations, even as videos of her speech continued circulating widely online.
Comments follow praise for Indian student protests
Years later, as many Pakistani social media users expressed support for Indian students protesting over the NEET examination paper leak controversy, Aurangzeb questioned what she described as a double standard.
In social media posts, she argued that many of the same people who had criticised, mocked or opposed Pakistan’s student movement were now applauding similar demonstrations across the border.
According to Aurangzeb, many Pakistanis recognised the grievances of Indian students but did not extend similar support to Pakistani students seeking greater representation, accountability and the restoration of student unions.
Activist continues academic career abroad
Aurangzeb has since moved to London, where she is pursuing doctoral studies at a university.
Her recent remarks have revived discussion on social media about student activism, freedom of expression and public responses to youth-led political movements in Pakistan.
While supporters say her comments highlight inconsistencies in public attitudes toward student mobilisation, others continue to hold differing views on the role and methods of student activism. The debate has once again placed education reform and youth participation in public life at the centre of political discussion.
Pakistani student activist Arooj Aurangzeb @AroojAurangzaib became a Gen Z icon in 2019 after a video of her passionately reciting a revolutionary poem during the Students Solidarity March went viral across social media.
Her viral rise was followed by intense pressure. The state… pic.twitter.com/mIGgfQl7g6— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) July 28, 2026
