The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) withheld financing for hundreds of students and many higher education programs throughout South Asia, leaving them apprehensive. This action comes after US President Donald Trump issued an executive order last month that put a 90-day hold on all international development assistance initiatives.

Scholarships, especially for women, capacity-building programs for Pakistan's higher education sector, specialized projects like enhancing sustainable energy and agricultural efficiency in Bangladesh, and disaster-resilient infrastructure partnerships in India are among the South Asian projects funded by USAID.

39 USAID-funded projects totaling over $845 million have been put on hold in Pakistan alone. These include important initiatives in higher education and healthcare.

Programs for basic education, such as the Sindh Basic Education Program and the Pakistan Reading Program, have also been impacted. The reconstruction of hundreds of schools has been put on hold, including many in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province's conflict-affected districts.

The important role USAID has played in supporting research, scholarships, and infrastructure development through Pakistan's Higher Education Commission (HEC) was emphasized by Professor Muhammad Ali, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Punjab in Lahore.

He voiced worries about the disruption the suspension had produced but pointed out that whether the freeze was temporary or permanent would determine its long-term effects.

On February 8, a U.S. federal judge imposed a temporary injunction that prevented the Trump administration from terminating related employees or discontinuing ongoing international aid initiatives.

Uncertainty still exists, though, especially for continuing programs like Pakistan's USAID Merit and Need-Based Scholarship Programme, which has helped thousands of students since 2004 with a strong emphasis on women's empowerment.

The US government is being urged by regional stakeholders to acknowledge the vital significance of USAID projects and strive for their prompt restart.

In addition to interfering with research and instruction, the suspension has endangered the futures of innumerable students and joint ventures between South Asian and American colleges.