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Pakistani student's family 'fairly safe'
By Phyllis Coulter
pcoulter@pantagraph.com
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BLOOMINGTON — An Illinois Wesleyan University student from Pakistan says he thinks his family and ordinary people are safe in his homeland even though his uncle, a leading lawyer, is among the thousands of people jailed in the military crackdown.

Mujtaba Isani, a freshman IWU business student, says he still plans to go home to Pakistan during winter break in December, and he still plans to return home when his education is complete.

An average person’s day-to-day life is affected by labor strikes, but they are not directly affected by the military, he said.

“The common man is not affected that much,” said Isani, whose brother is a lawyer. When asked about his own family, he said, “They’re fairly safe.”

Meanwhile, fellow students and others have been asking him about the situation in his country.

“Many Americans don’t know much about world affairs,” Isani said, noting many Americans have a “sheltered view.”

For example, most people in the Twin Cities may not be aware of how U.S. foreign policy is perceived in the region.

“Most people in Pakistan do not consider America’s occupation in Afghanistan ‘liberation,’” he said.

In Pakistan, the legal establishment, liberal political activists and the media have been principal targets in President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s crackdown since he imposed emergency rule Saturday. The Supreme Court, in particular, had chipped away at his powers this year.

Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, now under house arrest, called on lawyers Tuesday to revolt against emergency rule.

Isani’s uncle, Muneer Malik, the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, was among about 2,000 members of the legal system who were jailed Saturday.

Malik’s family is safe in the United States, Isani said. They aren’t in the Bloomington area.

Malik has spoken out publicly against Musharraf and in favor of an independent judiciary. His comments can be seen on YouTube.

“This storm in a teacup has already ensured that, in the future, only the most foolhardy of governments would dare to lay a hand on the judiciary’s independence,” Malik said in a public speech in Pakistan.

The West has supported Musharraf as an ally against Muslim extremists and terrorists, but his popularity has waned in Pakistan, Isani said.

“Public opinion is so severely against him. Even the West is scared,” Isani said.

Isani talked about the situation Monday at the university’s World Piece forum, a monthly meeting that concentrates on different “pieces” of the world.

“We’re catching up and learning a lot in a hurry,” Reenie Bradley, IWU’s international student and scholar adviser, said of the Pakistan situation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Take a look
Mujtaba Isani talked about the current unrest that has thrown the legal system of Pakistan into jeopardy after marshal law resulted in the arrest of about 2,000 of the country's top lawyers. (Pantagraph, David Proeber)
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Reader comments on this story - 14 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

muslim? wrote on Nov 9, 2007 12:07 AM:

" i must have missed where this article mentioned his religious beliefs. "

To: Alphonse wrote on Nov 7, 2007 4:00 PM:

" And the arrogant method in which you misuse the word "ignorant" is fascinating. Because I may or may not feel that this kid's comments were somewhat insulting does not make me ignorant. Neither does not having a complete awareness of what living in Pakistan is like, or Brussels or Antarctica for that matter. While it may be fun or even fashionable to paste people with the word ignorant, doing so doesn't necessarily make you appear to have any higher degree of intelligence. "

Re: Alphonse wrote on Nov 7, 2007 2:10 PM:

" This student is getting his '15 min. of fame', so to speak, I'm sure he probably expected a few less than politically correct comments to be made. "

OMG wrote on Nov 7, 2007 2:06 PM:

" you people are ridiculous! That is a simple statement of FACT!!! How many of you know more than what your news anchor tells you about foreign affaris? Get over it...Ignore them Mr. Isani...they simply prove your point. "

Alphonse wrote on Nov 7, 2007 11:43 AM:

" Ah, so a muslim student makes a harmless comment about the average American's knowledge of foreign affairs (a comment that educational studies have confirmed several times over,) and Blo-No's finest snip at him and tell him to go home. The over-sensitivity of the ignorant is fascinating. "

To Meg, wrote on Nov 7, 2007 11:37 AM:

" How about if someone said "many Pakistanis are terrorists and lead violent lives". Many, not all. I know some Pakistanis who are wonderful people and not terrorists. I'm sure that my friends and a Pakistani who wasn't a terrorist would be a little irked at that comment and irked at being lumped in with the "many". Same effect here. Isani may not have been trying to be insulting, but that's how his remark must sound to some. "

Meg wrote on Nov 7, 2007 11:12 AM:

" I don't see what some of you find to be so offensive in Isani's comment. He's right. Notice he said "many Americans," not "all Americans." I'll readily admit that I have led a (relatively) sheltered life, and I don't know everything about foreign countries and what is going on there. There is nothing wrong with admitting ignorance on particular subjects; it doesn't equal stupidity. "

To: To Maybe wrote on Nov 7, 2007 11:11 AM:

" Maybe's comments hardly constitute bigotry. I don't know where you got the notion that anything said in defense of your country is bigotry. There is nothing wrong with calling out this student for making remarks that could be construed as offensive. You or I wouldn't go to his country and start to make remarks about their society, would we? Wouldn't you think that was rude and inappropriate? "

Mr Isani wrote on Nov 7, 2007 11:02 AM:

" You are a guest. If you are not pleased with us feel free to leave! "

I don't wrote on Nov 7, 2007 10:38 AM:

" see anything bigoted or contrary to any posting rules. The student Isani stated his opinion, the other posts state theirs. It works both ways, folks, just because you disagree with someone's opinion does not make it wrong. "

To: Maybe wrote on Nov 7, 2007 9:58 AM:

" I love the smell of townies in the morning. It smells like... bigotry. "

Maybe wrote on Nov 7, 2007 9:37 AM:

" if we have such a "sheltered view", you should go study elsewhere in the world, Mr. Isani. Jordan or Saudi Arabia, maybe. "

To: I quote wrote on Nov 7, 2007 9:30 AM:

" From the Rules for Posting: "You will not post anything libelous, defamatory, obscene, harmful, vulgar, threatening, harassing, abusive, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, racially or ethnically objectionable, or otherwise illegal." Your hate-mongering and ethnic disparagement are unwelcome here. "

I quote: wrote on Nov 7, 2007 7:20 AM:

" “Many Americans don’t know much about world affairs,” Isani said, noting many Americans have a “sheltered view.” Just like a lot of muslims do, huh? "
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