Amna Buttar (born 1962) is a Pakistani American

medical doctor A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the study, diagnosis, prognosis ...

and former member of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, Pakistan. She is currently working as clinical associate professor of medicine and geriatrics at the NYU Langone Health.

Biography

Born in a Buttar family in

Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...

, Amna Buttar did her

MBBS A Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (; MBBS, also abbreviated as BM BS, MB ChB, MB BCh, or MB BChir) is a medical degree granted by medical schools or universities in countries that adhere to the United Kingdom's higher education tradi ...

from Fatima Jinnah Medical College,

, and went to United States. She did her

internal medicine Internal medicine, also known as general medicine in Commonwealth nations, is a medical specialty for medical doctors focused on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in adults. Its namesake stems from "treatment of diseases of ...

residency at the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...

, and

fellowship A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned or professional societies, the term refers ...

Geriatrics Geriatrics, or geriatric medicine, is a medical specialty focused on addressing the unique health needs of older adults. The term ''geriatrics'' originates from the Greek γέρων ''geron'' meaning "old man", and ιατρός ''iatros'' mean ...

from the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

. She also completed a master's degree in public health from the

. Buttar served as

assistant professor Assistant professor is an academic rank just below the rank of an associate professor used in universities or colleges, mainly in the United States, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. Overview This position is generally taken after earning a doct ...

medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

and

geriatrics Geriatrics, or geriatric medicine, is a medical specialty focused on addressing the unique health needs of older adults. The term ''geriatrics'' originates from the Greek γέρων ''geron'' meaning "old man", and ιατρός ''iatros'' mean ...

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

and served as

associate professor Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''. In the ''North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is a position ...

of the same discipline at

. She was serving as director of

at Mount Sinai Hospital in

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

, when she moved to

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

in 2007. She has written numerous book chapters in multiple textbooks, and authored many research papers, including publications in prestigious journals like ''

Annals of Internal Medicine ''Annals of Internal Medicine'' is an academic medical journal published by the American College of Physicians (ACP). It is one of the most widely cited and influential specialty medical journals in the world. ''Annals'' publishes content releva ...

'', and the ''Journal of the American Medical Association''. She has given over 100 presentations locally, nationally, and internationally pertaining to geriatrics medicine. Buttar developed and implemented four different health care programs in three different states in the US. She is recipient of prestigious Career Award by the

Department of Health and Human Services The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the US federal government created to protect the health of the US people and providing essential human services. Its motto is ...

in the US, and served on advisory committee to the

Secretary of Health and Human Services The United States secretary of health and human services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all health matters. The secretary is ...

in the US. During her stay in the US, she served in Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America as president/secretary of FJMC alumni. She is founder president of Asian-American Network Against Abuse of human rights (ANAA). She actively advocated for human and women rights and brought cases of Mukhtar Mai and Dr Shazia Khalid to limelight all across the globe. She has been given LeadHer Award by the Girls Learn International in New York City in 2006. She has also received Human rights award from

Pakistan Peoples Party The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is a political party in Pakistan and one of the three major List of political parties in Pakistan, Pakistani political parties alongside the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. With a Cent ...

human rights wing in August 2006. She has

testified Testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. Etymology The words "testimony" and "testify" both derive from the Latin word ''testis'', referring to the notion of a disinterested third-party witness. Law In the law, testimony ...

to the

U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both ...

, as well as representing Pakistan

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

at the UN Commission on Status of Women. Apart from numerous, social, charitable and welfare programs, she started a charitable program to help poor women lingering in

i Prisons for a long time having no monetary and legal support. Her interviews have appeared in local and international print and electronic media, including

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, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'',

National Public Radio National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...

of USA and many others. She has served as Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Punjab from women reserved seats for

(PPP) 2008 to 2012. She holds dual American nationality. She moved back to the USA in 2012, and now resides in New York. She is serving as Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine and Geriatrics at NYU Langone Health System, New York, USA. She is section chief of Geriatrics at NYU Langone Health Main Campus, New York, USA.

Dual nationality case

On 4 June 2012, the Supreme Court of Pakistan admitted a petition by the registrar's office. The petition stated that Amna Buttar holds dual Pakistani and American nationality, and hence, according to Pakistan's constitution, she is not eligible to hold public office in Pakistan. Along with Amna Buttar, the petition included names of 13 other current members of National and Provincial assemblies in Pakistan.

Controversy

In 2008, Amna Buttar criticised a Pakistani Beauty Pageant, Miss Pakistan World for being irrelevant to the problems faced by Pakistani women. "In Pakistan, we are trying to get basic rights for women: right to marry, right to divorce, equal opportunity for job and education, and issues like Miss Pakistan create problems for this movement...An average Pakistani young woman does not want to wear a bikini in public, and for her it is important to have equal opportunity and all focus should be on that, and not on a pageant where only the elite can participate."Dominus, Susan
"Pakistan May Not Be Ready for Its Beauty Queen."
''The New York Times'', 18 December 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2009.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buttar, Amna 1962 births Living people Pakistani emigrants to the United States Indiana University faculty Pakistan People's Party politicians Geriatricians Pakistani medical doctors Women geriatricians American geriatricians Pakistani science writers Politicians from Punjab, Pakistan Women members of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab Punjab MPAs 2008–2013 Politicians from Lahore American people of Punjabi descent University of Michigan School of Public Health alumni American physicians of Pakistani descent 21st-century Pakistani women politicians Naturalized citizens of the United States Physicians from Lahore