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Professor reports Pakistani assault

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by Nick Penzenstadler

Thursday, April 12, 2007

A University of Wisconsin clinical associate professor was allegedly attacked two weeks ago in Pakistan for her political affiliations and outspoken nature against Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf.

Amna Buttar, who works at Sinai Samaritan Hospital and has retained her clinical appointment at UW, traveled to Pakistan and reported being attacked at a rally she attended April 3 outside the Supreme Court building in Islamabad where she was promoting democracy.

In a written statement, Buttar said several men attacked her, forced her to her knees and assaulted her sexually.

"These men started aggressively touching my private parts," Buttar said in the statement. "He pushed my head down and put one hand on my back so I could not get up, and with one hand he kept aggressively groping my private parts."

Buttar added she was shocked that the attack happened in broad daylight in front of thousands of people.

"I was being attacked by these monsters who could have done anything to me at that time," she added.

According to her account, she fought the men and eventually broke free when she saw a group of men wearing black T-shirts that said "Anti-terrorist Squad."

Buttar is the president and co-founder of the Asian American Network Against Abuse of Human Rights and was traveling with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, who published several controversial pieces on Musharraf.

"I have dedicated my life to end this tyranny of silence, and yet devious and brutal attempts are being made to silence me," Buttar said in the statement.

The ANAA released a response to the attack on its website.

"ANAA expresses its deep outrage and revulsion at the shameful attack on Dr. Buttar and the continuing tactics of intimidation and repression being used by the government of Pakistan," the statement said. "The attack on Dr. Buttar follows attacks on peaceful protesters, privately owned television channels and the manhandling of even the chief justice of Pakistan."

Representatives at Sinai Samaritan Hospital in Milwaukee declined comment Wednesday when contacted by The Badger Herald.

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