GULLALI OF PANJSHIR VALLEY A Novel

A POWERFUL TALE OF ADVENTURE, ROMANCE, AND ONE WOMAN'S FIGHT FOR MUSLIM WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN ISLAMIC COUNTRIES.To Gullali, Panjshir Valley, eleven thousand feet above sea level, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, is heaven on Earth. An educated young Afghan woman, she is blessed to have a father who has raised her to believe women have the same rights as men. Madly in love with her childhood romance, all seems romantic in Gullali's life. Into her blissful days sounds of cannon echo from beyond the mountains as the Soviets invade her beloved homeland. Though danger surrounds the peaceful valley, Gullali and her people prepare to battle the invaders. After ten long years, the Soviets leave Afghanistan in defeat. Though a triumph, power turns to greed, and order in Afghanistan begins to wane. Amidst the turmoil, the Taliban gains control of the country. Under their rule, women are the first casualty in the name of Islam. Panjshir Valley is no longer the haven it once was to Gullali. Rumors of a more tolerant neighboring Pakistan beckon her and her husband to leave, but tragedy strikes her journey and Gullali comes to realize the Taliban is just as prevalent in Pakistan. Captive she suffers both physically and mentally from men immersed in gender bias and hypocrisy.Fueled by the abuse she faces, Gullali is determined to fight for women's rights, education, and freedom from male abuse in the name of Muslim culture and religion. Using her story, she is determined to create awareness among the women of Pakistan, hoping one day to return home to do the same in her country.