But Esbrook commended Choudhry for her courage and said she would not be separated from her children. Human rights advocates and some immigration attorneys said Tuesday's announcement was a pleasant surprise. Though Kocal doesn't expect Chicago's 37 percent approval rate of asylum requests to increase dramatically, he is encouraged. Officials at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, D.C., said that although they understood a mother would want a better life for her son, there are advantages to being in Pakistan, including adequate medical facilities in her hometown of Karachi, a major city, and an extended family support system. It's a difficult call.
Islamic experts warn against confusing traditional cultural mores with religious beliefs.
Although the notion of God's will is consistent with Islam, there is nothing in the religion that ascribes a physical or mental limitation as a curse from God, they said. Autism, which is more common in boys, is an incurable disorder that affects development of the brain and usually strikes during the first three years of life. Umair was 3 when he stopped talking, lost eye contact with other people and began growing increasingly self-abusive. Doctors in Karachi recommended that his mother take Umair to the United States for further testing, so in 1996 the family sold nearly everything they owned to pay for his diagnosis and treatment. Initially, Choudhry joined a brother in Louisville.