Havi Z Sultan here

[haviZsultan]

My name is Havi.

I am a book writer working on a project, a fiction book called Badal. It focuses on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA's suffering ever since the war on terror began at the hands of both the militants and age old problems with the bureaucracy.

It brings forth the problems Pakhtuns are facing in World today where many people identify them as terrorists and terrorist supporters. It does this by speaking of the plight of the Pakhtun. It has characters such as dancing girls from Swat, journalists, corrupt politicians, criminal kingpins, farmers even survivors from drone attacks.

Therefore by telling people how gravely Pakhtuns have suffered in the war because of the militants (& of course drone attacks too) Badal seeks to change the Worlds perceptions. It seeks to tell the World Pashtuns aren't just terrorists, they are also the worst victims of Taliban terrorism. They have been driven from their lands, their lives overturned.

To learn more about my project go to my site and under the projects tab click Badal Synopsis. You can even read exclusive excerpts from the book which is under production.

www.havisultan.com

By venturing here I also hoped to get:
1) Help for my project from some people from these regions (I am a Karachite though I have relatives in Peshawar and other places too) I can't tell how things happen within those areas without going there.
2) Promotion for my book. I believe this project is central to Pashtun interests and pashtunforums and other Pashtun advocacy, community and rights groups might be interested in promoting this work.

I hope the members Pashtunforums can assist me in some way with my project. Do note this is the first piece of fiction based on the War on Terror by an author from this region.

[Admin Khan]

Welcome aboard.

[faye]

sounds like a very good project. first hand knowledge and accounts of these events are important to have recorded. welcome.

[Admin Khan]

Are you presently in Karachi?

[Ghundal]

Hello

Will you also be including the fact that both Pakistan support for the US war and PaK military ops in FATA and elsewhere are causing increase in militancy?

Are you also going to cover the fact that ANP has supported two successive wars in Afghanistan, the Soviet one and now the US one?

Are you also going to mention that the vast majority of Pashtuns are rural ?

Or will you forget this all and pretend that Pashtuns want something else?

Also, the use of the word terrorism is subjective? Do you plan on having a neocon PRo WAR audience?

Do you think that war is peace and slavery is freedom?

No offense, and welcome to thus forum, I'm sure you will love it here, but my questions are serious

Thanks for your answers in advance

Btw, will you also mention how the Militant Communist secular terrorists murdered Daud Khan and his family because he was not secular enough?

Will you also explain how the ANP are false nationalists and an insult to the very term?

[haviZsultan]

Are you presently in Karachi?

Admin, how come you're asking a question when you know the answer. :D

Maybe its a test.

Haven't you seen where my IP is from? I am currently in Dubai though I am originally from Karachi (grand parents live there). Still confused about where I am from though. Was born in Islamabad. So you can see why saying which city in Pakistan I am from can be hard. Then I have relatives too in Peshawar and other places. I usually tell others I am from Karachi though.

However this is the first time an admin of a site has asked me my location. I have my own site and I know I can find out where my visitors are located... :D

I don't mean to be rude though. Just very surprising for me. If you really didn't know try downloading some components. There are some very good components out there, especially for joomla that give you detailed IP address and location information about each visitor on your site at any given time. It helps you keep track of who's online.

[haviZsultan]

Hello

Will you also be including the fact that both Pakistan support for the US war and PaK military ops in FATA and elsewhere are causing increase in militancy?

Yes. This is a lesson in the story. That military action is not about to win Pakistan this war. Pakistan needs to provide for the Pashtun, deal with the grievances present. Deal with the amount of poverty, the unemployment and stop our youth from falling into the hands of militants.

Are you also going to cover the fact that ANP has supported two successive wars in Afghanistan, the Soviet one and now the US one?

I fear my book does not go this deep. It does not cover the ANP at all. You must understand mine is a fiction book. It isn't a biography of the Pashtun race and political and governance problems faced. In the first chapter it delves into how the Mahsuds of Ladha see the Afghan-Soviet war but that's probably the only (limited) mention of that war.

My book almost totally focuses on today's war, the War on Terror, Pakistan's role in it and Pashtuns suffering because of it.

Are you also going to mention that the vast majority of Pashtuns are rural ?

I have covered rural areas in my book. But most of the action is based in the city of Mingora. Then Urban Pashtuns are actually the ones that have power so though most Pashtuns are rural, the book focuses mostly on ones in the cities. Reason? Again my book is not a biography on Pashtuns. It is a novel, a fiction novel based on imaginary, fictional people who don't exist in real life.

Or will you forget this all and pretend that Pashtuns want something else?

The problem with Pashtuns is they all want something else. No one Pashtun will have the same view and its probably the same for all races. I have tried to present the core Pashtun interests in my book, particularly those relating to the war on terror from the eyes of different people. Eg, a woman who's child is kidnapped by the Taliban, a boy that suffers from a drone strike, a dancing girl under Taliban rule, then even militant commanders. It has many characters who see the situation through different eyes. The only non pashtun's in the book are some army captain and major.

Particularly the interests of the Pakistani Pakhtun are covered though your post makes me worry about the smaller role of those from the other side of the Durand line, the Afghan side.

That's not to say the line exists in Pashtun hearts. Pashtuns both in Pakistan and Afghanistan are brothers. But alas this book covers the Pakistani side. I will do another project covering the Afghan side if this is successful but that's much later.

Also, the use of the word terrorism is subjective? Do you plan on having a neocon PRo WAR audience?

The problem is I need to sell the book and Westerners have the money. Though Pashtuns are my primary target market and their accepting or rejecting this book will be central to the success of the project I must also aim this book at the Western reader and at other races in Pakistan and Afghanistan as well. This means lots of sex and violence in the book. It also means I can't present the militants positively.

I have kept Pakistani Pashtun interests at heart and am trying to present things from a Pashtun perspective but I have to win over other audiences too. In other words I have tried to relate things with a neutral tone, even when talking about the Taliban. However the various chapters relate things from the viewpoint of the character. So if the chapter is about a militant he will favor the killing taking place in Afghanistan and Pakistan. If it's a dancing girl she will be worried for her life and will hate the militants. So on.

Do you think that war is peace and slavery is freedom?

I am against the war and believe that this war will never end if we keep trying to use force. But I don't say this directly in the book. Instead I go towards it indirectly saying there's so much poverty, people are unemployed. You can't feed your own people and you're fighting a war? So its pretty much indirect.

Another moral of my story is that the center, the Pakistani government cannot afford to ignore the interests of the Pashtun. They cannot afford to ignore the poverty and unemployment prevalent which is fueling the fire of militancy and strife.

No offense, and welcome to thus forum, I'm sure you will love it here, but my questions are serious

Thanks for your answers in advance

Thank you. I seek help from Pashtun brothers from the regions of Swat and South Waziristan, particularly Ladha because I have been to none of the areas covered in my book. I need insight from locals.

Btw, will you also mention how the Militant Communist secular terrorists murdered Daud Khan and his family because he was not secular enough?

Afghanistan is not covered at all in the book. Again this is not a biography on the history of Afghanistan or Pashtuns. Its a novel.

Your questions make me worry about the success of my book. They make me question whether focusing on only the Pakistani areas on this side of the durrand line is a beneficial decision. I want Afghans to buy the book too.

The success of my entire enterprise relies on how much Pashtuns accept this book.

Will you also explain how the ANP are false nationalists and an insult to the very term?

Again ANP is not in the book. I am sorry. But I have 2 other books in the pipelines. One is a book about a girl who wants to marry of her own choice in Afghanistan. Another is about the Salarzai tribe in Bajaur and their sacrifices trying to battle the Taliban. It mixes love in it as well as the main character falls in love with a woman from Peshawar and wants to do away with the culture of marrying cousins in his family.

You can visit my website and click under the projects tab to read more about the book:
http://www.havisultan.com

You can also enjoy exclusive Excerpts before my Publishers decide it reveals too much of the book.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would like the admin to make this post sticky if possible and if such permission is granted I can start another thread for it in the appropriate section of course. It would be a great favor I know. At this point all I need is promotion for the book so that when it launches I have an audience willing to buy it.

I also want to thank Admin Khan for setting up this site. I needed to enhance my knowledge about certain things for my book and I believe this site will be of great assistance. I hope pashtunforums can help me with the promotion of this book.

I thank you for your questions. I would be glad to answer any other questions.

[Ghundal]

Yes. This is a lesson in the story. That military action is not about to win Pakistan this war. Pakistan needs to provide for the Pashtun, deal with the grievances present. Deal with the amount of poverty, the unemployment and stop our youth from falling into the hands of militants.

Pakistan is not interested in providing for the Pashtun people and nor does the ANP

I fear my book does not go this deep. It does not cover the ANP at all. You must understand mine is a fiction book. It isn't a biography of the Pashtun race and political and governance problems faced. In the first chapter it delves into how the Mahsuds of Ladha see the Afghan-Soviet war but that's probably the only (limited) mention of that war.

Obviously, you do not want to cover the ANP

That clear

I have covered rural areas in my book. But most of the action is based in the city of Mingora. Then Urban Pashtuns are actually the ones that have power so though most Pashtuns are rural, the book focuses mostly on ones in the cities. Reason? Again my book is not a biography on Pashtuns. It is a novel, a fiction novel based on imaginary, fictional people who don't exist in real life.

But even when writing a fictional book on Pashtuns, you have an obligation not to distort truth.

The problem with Pashtuns is they all want something else. No one Pashtun will have the same view and its probably the same for all races. I have tried to present the core Pashtun interests in my book, particularly those relating to the war on terror from the eyes of different people. Eg, a woman who's child is kidnapped by the Taliban, a boy that suffers from a drone strike, a dancing girl under Taliban rule, then even militant commanders. It has many characters who see the situation through different eyes. The only non pashtun's in the book are some army captain and major.

So this is basically about Pakistan, not Pashtuns.

Particularly the interests of the Pakistani Pakhtun are covered though your post makes me worry about the smaller role of those from the other side of the Durand line, the Afghan side.

The Afghan side is Pashtun land. FATA is Pashtun land. The unfortunate issue with KP is that the Durrand line has worked to some degree. Pakistan has been able to secularize a growing number of Pashtuns in KP who have no interest in Pashtun culture, only the language.

While they falsely state they are Pashtun nationalists, in reality they are simply people who dont want to have anything to do with Afghanistan if it is not secular like Pakistan. Why these ANP red hats and the likes continue to promote war in Afghanistan along with the Pak Army is the question.

The problem is I need to sell the book and Westerners have the money. Though Pashtuns are my primary target market and their accepting or rejecting this book will be central to the success of the project I must also aim this book at the Western reader and at other races in Pakistan and Afghanistan as well. This means lots of sex and violence in the book. It also means I can't present the militants positively.

This is called selling your soul to the devil for wealth. It is pathetic and something to be ashamed of on every level. This is exactly the type of attitude Afghans do not want and nor do they tolerate.

So, irrespective of your book being fiction, you want to build on a fringe of secularism to sell a book? You want to make it seem more than it is? And you want to distort Pashtun in the process.

I have kept Pakistani Pashtun interests at heart and am trying to present things from a Pashtun perspective but I have to win over other audiences too. In other words I have tried to relate things with a neutral tone, even when talking about the Taliban. However the various chapters relate things from the viewpoint of the character. So if the chapter is about a militant he will favor the killing taking place in Afghanistan and Pakistan. If it's a dancing girl she will be worried for her life and will hate the militants. So on.



I am against the war and believe that this war will never end if we keep trying to use force. But I don't say this directly in the book. Instead I go towards it indirectly saying there's so much poverty, people are unemployed. You can't feed your own people and you're fighting a war? So its pretty much indirect.

Another moral of my story is that the center, the Pakistani government cannot afford to ignore the interests of the Pashtun. They cannot afford to ignore the poverty and unemployment prevalent which is fueling the fire of militancy and strife.



Thank you. I seek help from Pashtun brothers from the regions of Swat and South Waziristan, particularly Ladha because I have been to none of the areas covered in my book. I need insight from locals.

I dont wish you any success in the book and hope you fail

Regards.

[Afghanistan2010]

Welcome,and be careful of your website, i have doubts it will remain for long when you proclaim propaganda and hatred and lies against afghanistan and muslims in pakistan.

[faye]

a good book shouldn't need sex and violence in it.

[haviZsultan]

Welcome,and be careful of your website, i have doubts it will remain for long when you proclaim propaganda and hatred and lies against afghanistan and muslims in pakistan.

This is how you greet a new visitor to PF you don't agree with? You are indirectly threatening to bring down my site. I assure you if anything happens to my site I will ensure your arrest. I have a long reach and your IP address is/should be logged by PF (any good site with many users has tools to do so) but if not your internet activity can be monitored. In case of anything happening to the site it will be a matter of minutes uncovering the culprits.

I will write an article particularly on your fanatical thinking now. If you do not agree with the articles within that is your basic right. But let me keep my views.

Afghanistan is a brother country and I have nothing against Muslims. I happen to be one myself. Pakistan is my home country. I am writing this book to bring a good name to my country and give a positive view of Pashtuns. Would you rather be remembered as a terrorist who blows himself up or as a peaceful citizen. I am trying to change mindsets and I hear this from you people. You should be ashamed.

[badmash_khel]

Pa khair roghlai

[haviZsultan]

Pakistan is not interested in providing for the Pashtun people and nor does the ANP

I want to change that. The center, the government does not want to provide for the Pashtuns. Pakistan=Pashtuns too.

Obviously, you do not want to cover the ANP

That clear

But even when writing a fictional book on Pashtuns, you have an obligation not to distort truth.

What truth are you talking about. What have I done?

So this is basically about Pakistan, not Pashtuns.

The Afghan side is Pashtun land. FATA is Pashtun land. The unfortunate issue with KP is that the Durrand line has worked to some degree. Pakistan has been able to secularize a growing number of Pashtuns in KP who have no interest in Pashtun culture, only the language.

While they falsely state they are Pashtun nationalists, in reality they are simply people who dont want to have anything to do with Afghanistan if it is not secular like Pakistan. Why these ANP red hats and the likes continue to promote war in Afghanistan along with the Pak Army is the question.

No its about Pashtuns, its about Pakistanis, its about the war on terror, its about the taliban, its about drone strikes, its about the overturned lives of the people of Swat since the Taliban arrived.

Of course its Pashtun land. And you can't just blame someone for not being 'Pashtun' enough.

I wasn't even having a discussion about ANP. I am not their supporter. But they have done some work to highlight the work of Pashtuns in Pakistan. Frankly about your views abt ANP, I don't care.

This is called selling your soul to the devil for wealth. It is pathetic and something to be ashamed of on every level. This is exactly the type of attitude Afghans do not want and nor do they tolerate.

So, irrespective of your book being fiction, you want to build on a fringe of secularism to sell a book? You want to make it seem more than it is? And you want to distort Pashtun in the process.

I have never been judged so I will never be used to it. But I will say it was a hard decision for me. If we focused as much on growth and development rather than on pointing out how 'irreligious' our fellow Muslims are or declaring them Kaffir our countries would be developed. But look where we are. I thought Afghans were tolerant. I notice some of you are worse than us Pakistanis. I will give you a link to another article summing up my views about judging others and passing judgements:

http://havisultan.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72:why-do-we-fear-secularism&catid=64:pakistan-theology-a-religion&Itemid=71

Though I know you'll hate it. Don't worry its just your mindset, its stuck with you. Your skin is attached to you no matter how hard you try to peel it off.

I dont wish you any success in the book and hope you fail

Regards.

What great brotherly love I have received here. I spent my entire time trying to write a book based on Pashtuns and this is what I get. I wrote it for you, Pashtuns to bring a good name to YOU. So that people also know you as victims rather than just terrorizers.

[haviZsultan]

a good book shouldn't need sex and violence in it.

The decision was between being able to sell my book or having it stuck to the shelves. What would you choose.

It isn't like horrible. Just added things that make it barely readable for the Western reader. Not too proud of it.

Again judging people.

[haviZsultan]

Pa khair roghlai

Thank you brother. Thanks for not picking on something I said.