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EYEWITNESSES

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 4, 2007

Sam Rashid is a naturalized American born in Pakistan. He is a Brandon businessman and political activist. He left Pakistan at age 9 and has been in the United States for 25 years. Up until a couple of years ago, he visited his homeland nearly every year.

Jamsheed Marker is the former Pakistani ambassador to the United States and United Nations. He retired in St. Petersburg and is a professor at Eckerd College. He spends four to six months a year in Pakistan.

Haroon Khawaja is an Orlando developer who came to the United States in 2000. From 1997 to 1999, he was the adviser for Pakistan's former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, whose government was overthrown by Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

Neelofer Syed was granted political asylum in the United States in 2001 after she made legal history by winning a case in Pakistan that established the right of women to marry without their parents' permission. She now works as an immigration lawyer in Tampa.

DANGER

"This country could literally disappear; it could literally be wiped out by this radical movement. It's my birthland. What can I say? I feel terrible about it." - Rashid

"Pakistan is right in the front line in this fight against terrorism. When you're holding the line in the front, you do get shot at. ... That doesn't mean it's the most dangerous place or anything like that." - Marker

"If you go to the major cities of Pakistan right now, you'd see Americans walking the streets like everywhere else. Would you see that in Iraq? ... You can't compare Pakistan with Iraq or Afghanistan in any way. It's nowhere near as dangerous." - Khawaja

"Since we became allies with the U.S., people who are having different views are turning against us. The Taliban and all of this suicide-bombing culture, that was never in Pakistan. All these things started happening when we sided with the U.S." - Syed

PEOPLE

"People in Pakistan take something of a fatalistic attitude. People are resigned to their lives. ... You've got no middle class and virtually no elite class. A lot of them are very, very poor. Those who have money can get on a plane and leave. But the vast majority don't have any options. They have to go along with what happens." - Rashid

"Since the post-Cold War period, Pakistan has been a very pro-American ally. American influence in Pakistan is absolutely supreme. The people of Pakistan, if you ask anyone walking on the road what they think of America, they will have a very high opinion." - Khawaja

"Seven years ago, when I left Pakistan, people were in love with the U.S. There were T-shirts that said, 'I love U.S.' Everyone wanted to be Americanized, and these same people now have questions about us."

- Syed

POLITICS

"There are certain countries in the world where you just can't have a free and open democracy. That's sad to say, but that's a fact. A significant portion of the population is illiterate. What happens is they are influenced by all sorts of radicalism. ... You have to have a strong president or a strong chief that is pro-Western economics for this country to survive. I think some countries need a strong leader that may not be elected if it were an open democratic society. I think Pakistan is one of those countries."

- Rashid

"This has all got to do with the flourishment of religious parties of the last five years, backed by Musharraf's regime, to prolong their rule and keep the mainstream political forces out of the country. ... The suicide bombings are the result of it."

- Khawaja

"I really don't think that Musharraf is going to let go of things that easily. ... If he had moved legally and held free and fair elections, that would have decided matters differently and would have legitimized many of his actions. But everything else has a big question mark in front of it right now."

- Syed

FUTURE

"Right now there are some very major question marks. ... Before the Supreme Court, there are certain writ petitions that say President Musharraf should be rejected. ... The Supreme Court has been listening to arguments for three days on this. So when you have that kind of situation prevailing, it's not a country of chaos. ... It's a sign that there is on all sides a desire to abide by the rule of law." - Marker

"I'm hopeful there will be free and fair elections. Everyone will be able to participate. That's all that's required. If you let the people have ownership of their government, there is definitely a very bright future, I'm certain." - Khawaja

DANGER

PEOPLE

POLITICS

FUTURE

These comments were made before Saturday's emergency declaration.

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