Co m i c s fo r P e ac e P r e s e n t s

everyone has a secret

Alina Khwaja
Hareem Shahid
Asma Ahmad
Maham Sharif
And their mentor Joshua Dysart
Comics For Peace

Comics for Peace is an initiative that seeks to encourage and promote

positive social change through the vibrant medium of comic books. This
comic book is one in a series of five comic books that were authored by
teams of university students from across Pakistan, creating stories that bring
attention to the societal issues that concern them, including discrimination,
hate, violence and extremism. Working under the mentorship and support
of professional comic book writers and artists, the students have developed
compelling storylines and themes that will raise awareness and provoke
dialogue among their peers and the larger global community.
For more details, visit www.comicsforpeace.com

Look out for our other titles produced under the Comics for Peace Program!

Kumuk Mehtab Azem The Last Wave

Picking up the Pieces Light of the Moon The Pact
Everyone has a secret
Writers/Creators and Concept Art:
Alina Khawaja - Concept Art
Hareem Shahid – Writer
Asma Ahmed – Concept Art
Maham Shari – Concept Art

Mentor:
Joshua Dysart

Creative Director
Yahya Ehsan

Technical Advisor:
Cameron Chisholm

Editors:
Syed Mustafa Hasnain – Chief Editor
Khaya Ahmad – Co-editor
Ahmad Almakky – Co-editor

Producers:
Murtaza Hasnain
Rachel Landale

Art Team
Armish Imtiaz Elahi – Team Lead/Illustration
Hassan Mengal – Illustration
Maham Hamid – Design/Coloring
Samia Naqvi – Design/Coloring
Abdullah Khan – Coloring/Animation

Special Thanks:
Sean Carroll
Carola Mandelbaum
Kenneth Davis
Muneeb Ali

Published by CFx Comics.

Developed with the support of Creative Learning

TM
NESTLED IN THE HIGHLANDS OF THE SULAIMAN RANGE, NEAR
THE INDUS RIVER, LIES THE SMALL TOWN OF NORWAYRA.

THOUGH SMALL COMPARED TO MOST, EVEN THIS QUAINT LITTLE TOWN HAS
BEEN DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS DUE TO POLITICAL DIFFERENCES.

WEST NORWAYRA, RULED BY A HUNGRY, GREEDY WARLORD, AND...

EAST NORWAYRA, A COLORFUL TOWN COVERED IN GREEN
AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE. THEY ARE RULED BY AN
ELECTED COUNCIL THAT TRY TO KEEP THEIR DISTANCE
FROM THE RULERS OF THE WEST.
BUT THE REAL GEM OF THE EAST? THE PEOPLE... KIND,
COMPASSIONATE AND FULL OF LOVE... AND AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL?

WELL... THIS IS WHERE OUR STORY BEGINS...

It begins with Nasra Jee.

 ATTENTION
CITIZENS!!!

A NINE YEAR OLD GIRL NAMED

LAILA PASHA HAS BEEN MISSING
SINCE 8:00 AM! SHE WAS LAST
SEEN WEARING A RED BALOCHI
KAMEEZ AND GREEN TROUSERS...

LAILA!
If anyone has seen her or has
any information about her,
please contact the council
head office immediately!

OH THESE LOUSY
DUPATTAS! NOW IS
NOT THE TIME! I
HAVE TO GET TO
LAILA’S HOUSE!
 Bajo!

Oh, my poor
Bajo!
 SHE’LL BE HOME
SOON, BAJO.
DON’T WORRY, OUR
PRAYERS WILL
KEEP HER SAFE
TILL WE FIND
HER.

OH, MY SWEET NASRA,

I HOPE SO. I KEEP
THINKING ABOUT
MY LITTLE GIRL ALL
ALONE AND I CAN’T
BEAR IT!!

YOU
INFORMED
THE COUNCIL
HEADS?

WE DID! THEY SAID THEY’VE

COMBED EVERY INCH OF
THE CITY. THEY’RE AFRAID
SHE’S BEEN TAKEN BY THE
MILITANTS OF THE WEST,
WHICH MEANS...
THEY CAN’T HELP US.
 AN INNOCENT CHILD HAS WE DON’T KNOW
POSSIBLY BEEN KIDNAPPED WHAT TO DO. WHAT
AND THEY’VE RESIGNED TO CAN WE DO WHEN
DOING NOTHING?! WHAT THOSE SWORN
HAPPENED TO OUR "STEADFAST" TO KEEP US SAFE
COUNCiL?! HAVE THEY LOST ABANDON US?
ALL SENSE OF HUMANITY?!

WELL, WE TAKE
MATTERS INTO
OUR OWN HANDS!!

I’m going to find

her, this I swear to
you both. On my life,
I will find Laila.
 SARAH!

NASRA?? WHAT’S
WRONG?!

I NEED YOUR HELP!

SOMETHING IS
HAPPENING IN OUR
TOWN AND IT WILL LEAD
US TO RUIN!

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING

ABOUT, NASRA?? I DON’T
UNDERSTAND... CATCH
ONE OF MY STUDENTS, YOUR BREATH AND START
LAiLA, HAS GONE FROM THE BEGINNING.
MISSING! JUST LIKE
THE OTHERS WE’VE
BEEN HEARING ABOUT
IN THE NEWS!
 I’VE BEEN LOOKING According
INTO THIS TOO. I FIND to thecouncil,
IT SO STRANGE THAT they haven’t
THEY ARE YET TO FIND A vanished,
SINGLE CHILD... AS IF THEY
VANISHED INTO THIN AIR! they’ve been
taken by the
militants
of the west!

OH MY!
And the worst part?
They’re refusing
to help the children
because the west
is more powerful than
us. Utterly
ridiculous!

There must
be something
we can do to
help them.

WE MUST, SARAH!
WE MUST DO
SOMETHING. I
DON’T WANT THEM
TO SUFFER LIKE
I DID... WE MUST...

You’ve got me,

Nasra, and between
the two of us, we
can accomplish
more than those
beaureaucrats.
Isn’t that right,
YEAH... THAT’S partner?
RIGHT, PARTNER...

THEN IT’S ALL SET. YOU

AND I WILL DO WHAT
WE CAN TO FIND LAILA.
LET’S GO, PARTNER!
 ... A SMALL 12
YEAR OLD ... HAVE YOU
GIRL... SEEN BAJO’S
DAUGHTER??...

She was
wearing green
... SHE IS trousers and
ABOUT THIS red kameez..
TALL...
 Nasra... its
been 2 weeks...
an... and we are
no close to
finding Laila...

I feel like
a failiure...
once again.

NO! not so
easily... we
can not
give up...

What do we
do then, my
friend...
IT’S TIME WE
ASK FOR HELP,
NASRA... FROM THE
COUNCIL...
 come on,
Nasra.

THEY’RE NOT
WORTH IT.
 WE WANT TO MEET
THE COUNCIL,
PLEASE. IT’S VERY
URGENT.

GIVE ME
A MOMENT,
MA’AM.

TWO LADIES WISH

TO MEET THE
COUNCIL. THEY
SAY IT’S VERY PLEASE GO IN
IMPORTANT... UHUH... THROUGH THE DOOR
YES... RIGHT. OKAY, ON MY LEFT. THE
SIR. COUNCIL WILL
MEET YOU THERE.
SALAM, LADIES. SIR, WE ARE HERE
TO TALK ABOUT
HOW CAN THE GIRL, LAILA
WE BE OF PASHA. SHE WENT
HELP? MISSING SEVERAL
DAYS AGO.

What Sir, we need your

about her? help to find her, our WHY ARE YOU SO CONCERNED? WE
children are in danger. HAVE LOOKED INTO THE MATTER AND
TALKED TO THE PARENTS. EVERYONE
SHOULD MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS
AND LEAVE OTHERS TO MIND THEIRS.
BUT, SIR... PROTECTING
THE CHILDREN OF THIS
TOWN IS EVERYONE’S
BUSINESS. WE ARE
BOTH WILLING TO DO
ANYTHING WE CAN BUT...

... WE NEED THE

COUNCIL TO
HELP US SEARCH
FOR HER.

HELP YOU TWO SEARCH

FOR HER?! WHAT ARE YOU
IMPLYING?! OUR BRAVE MEN
HAVE SEARCHED THE ENITRE
TOWN FOR SIGNS OF HER.

EXACTLY! THE SEARCH HAS ONLY

TAKEN PLACE WITHIN THE
EASTERN TOWN.
SIR, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST
THAT YOU EXTEND THE SEARCH
TOWARDS THE WEST TOO.
 THAT IS QUITE THE REQUEST,
MADAM. THIS CHILD MUST MEAN A
GREAT DEAL TO YOU. PRAY TELL,
WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH HER?
HMM... I HAVE NEVER SEEN A TEACHER
I AM A
TEACHER AND SO INTERESTED IN THEIR
STUDENTS... UNLESS, THIS IS ALL
LAILA IS MY
STUDENT! FOR SOME KIND OF PERSONAL GAIN
FOR SOMEONE OF YOUR... STANDING.

SIR, YOU KNOW OUR

CHILDREN HAVE BEEN
TAKEN TO THE WEST. YOU
KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN
KIDNAPPED.

WHY ARE WE SCARED OF

SAYING IT OUT LOUD?
WHY DON’T WE TAKE
ACTION? WHY DON’T WE
FIGHT??!!

BECAUSE WE ARE NOT

POWERFUL ENOUGH!
BECAUSE THEY CAN
DESTROY US AT ANY
MOMENT! WHY DO YOU FAIL
TO UNDERSTAND THIS?!

STUBBORN ANIMAL!

WE WILL NEVER BE
POWERFUL ENOUGH
WE BLAME THEM
SO LONG AS WE
BECAUSE WE ARE
LET THE WEST
AFRAID TO ADMIT
DOMINATE US.
TO OUR OWN
WEAKNESSES!!
 MIND YOUR TONGUE, YOU
CREATURE!!! DO NOT FORGET
WHERE YOU ARE AND WHO YOU
ARE TALKING TO!!!

CALM DOWN,
JAFFER. SHE
IS JUST VERY
EMOTIONAL
RIGHT NOW.
LET’S NOT...

NO, GUDDU! PEOPLE LIKE HER

DON’T DESERVE A PLACE IN OUR
TOWN! WE HELPED HER WHEN
SHE WAS IN NEED AND HOMELESS
AND TODAY SHE STANDS HERE AND
DISRESPECTS US!

AND WE KNOW HOW TO

PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
WE DON’T NEED YOU TO
INTERFERE! GO LOOK AFTER
YOUR OWN CHILDREN.

OH WAIT... YOU
CAN’T HAVE
CHILDREN.

IF THIS ISN’T COWARDICE

THEN I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS!!
DEGRADING OTHERS TO HIDE
YOUR OWN WEAKNESS... YOU
SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!!
 LADIES!
WAIT!

PHEW!! You
women walk
fast.

RELAX. I’M HERE TO HELP

YOU GUYS OUT. I REALLY AM
MOVED BY YOUR THOUGHTS,
NASRA... AND I THINK I MIGHT
BE ABLE TO HELP YOU.

I OWN A HALWA
SHOP IN THE MARKET
SQUARE. MEET
ME THERE EARLY
TOMORROW MORNING.
JUST ASK AROUND
FOR GUDDU HALWAI’S
SHOP.

OH MY! AHH... No worries...

THANK YOU Don’t be late
SO MUCH. and I’ll see you
then.
you did it,
Nasra!!! you
did it! I REALLY HOPE
THIS ALL
ENDS WELL
TOMORROW.

IT WILL! NOW
GO AND GET SOME
REST. SEE YOU
TOMORROW AT 7.
7 IT IS!
 I WANNA GO
HOMEEE!!
MAMAAA!!!

NOOOOOOO!

OH NO!
IT’S 7!!
I HOPE WE
AREN’T TOO
LATE.
YOU NEED TO CHILL.
WE’RE RIGHT ON TIME.
THERE HE IS! LET’S GO.

OH, THERE
YOU ARE...
COME ALONG.

YOU’RE PROBABLY
WONDERING HOW I’M GOING
TO BE OF ANY HELP TO YOU
AND WHY I’M HELPING WHEN
THE REST OF THE COUNCIL...

AT THIS POINT,
WE NEED ALL THE
HELP WE CAN GET.
WHATEVER YOUR
MOTIVATIONS
FOR HELPING
US ARE, WE ARE
GRATEFUL.
 GOOD, OKAY. WELL,
ACCORDING TO MY
SOURCES, YOUR STUDENT
HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED AND
TAKEN TO THE WEST.
BUT WHY?! FOR
WHAT?! WHY DO
THEY WANT OUR
CHILDREN?!

WE JUST DON’T KNOW

YET... ALL WE KNOW IS
THAT THEY HAVE BEEN
TAKEN TO NAMAR CAMP.

NA,,, NAMAR...
NASRA?? ARE
YOU OKAY? OH, YA... YEAH, I’M
FINE...

SO WHAT DO WE
DO NOW? WE HAVE
TO DO SOMETHING
BEFORE THIS GETS
OUT OF HAND! RIGHT,
NASRA?!
YES... WE
MUST.
THE ONLY THING
WE CAN DO IS...

GO TO the west
OURSELVES.

HOW ARE WE EVER

GOING TO GET IN
THERE? AND EVEN IF WE
DO HOW DO WE FIND
THE CAMP?

THE WEST?!

WELL, I Could
SMUGGLE
YOU IN... MY
SOURCES CAN
HELP WITH
THAT. THEY CAN
EVEN HELP US
FIND THE CAMP.

and how will

we get in to
the Camp?

I can get us
into the camp.
 DONE! I’LL
MEET YOU TWO MAKE SURE YOU
HERE, TONIGHT. BOTH WEAR
DON’T BE LATE. SHAWLS TO COVER
YOURSELVES
WITH.

WE WILL.
BYEE!

OH YEAH!! WE’RE
GOING TO DO IT!!!

GURLL... HOW DO YOU PLAN

ON GETTING US INTO THE
CAMP, HUH? YOU HIDING SOME
SUPERPOWERS??

It’s the same THE ONE I WAS IN...

what same WE CANNOT LET
camp Sarah...
camp? HISTORY REPEAT
ITSELF, SARAH. WE
CANNOT!
 OKAY, NOW LISTEN TO ME. BOTH
OF YOU GET INTO THE BLACK VAN
PARKED BEHIND MY SHOP AND DUCK
DOWN. DO NOT MOVE UNLESS I
TELL YOU TO. UNDERSTOOD?!

ALL SET,
LADIES?

HELL,
YES!
shhhhh!

I HOPE YOU’RE
READY. WE’RE
HERE...

COME ON, GUYS.

HURRY UP. BEFORE
SOMEONE SEES US.
This is
it.

IT IS...

WH...

How are we ever

going to get in
this thing without
getting caught?

Still as
sturdy as
I left it.

HUHH?

NOTHING. WE CAN
CLIMB THIS PIPE.
IT GOES ALL THE
WAY UP TO THE
ATTIC OF THE
BUILDING.
 ... WHICH IS NEVER
LOCKED. WE CAN GET
IN THROUGH THERE.
Are you
serious
right now?

DO YOU HAVE HURRY

A BETTER UP!
PLAN?

WELL, SORRY I’M

NOT A MONKEY!

YOU AND
YOUR CRAZY
IDEAS,
NASRA!

THROUGH HERE.
THESE STAIRS
LEAD DIRECTLY
TO THE MAIN
HALL.
 THESE ARE THE
ROOMS WHERE
THEY KEEP ALL THE
BEGINNERS...

BUT... HOW ARE WE GOING

TO FIND LAILA? WE CAN’T
GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM.
WE’LL GET CAUGHT.
LET’S TRY THE
ONE IN THE
MIDDLE.

UMMM...

WE HAVE TO
GIVE IT A SHOT.
WE CAN’T JUST True!
STAND HERE.
What have Most have been given
they done the numb shot, the
to them? effects stay in for
couple of hours..
Why are you
standing
there?

I CAN’T SEE THIS...

IT’S MAKING ME
SICK... I’M GOING
TO STAND WATCH
OUTSIDE.

How will we
ever find her in
this lot? there are
so many children
here, all being
trained to follow
the wrong path, the
path that leads to
self destruction.
OHHH GOD!

COME ON, NASRA.

WE CAN’T GIVE
UP. NOT YET.
WE WILL FIND
laila! WE ARE
SO CLOSE... I CAN
FEEL IT.

SARAAAh!

NASRA, WHAT
HAPPENED?
 LAILA! MY
CHILD, LAILA!

OH MY GOD!
LAILA!!

GO AWAY!!
LEAVE ME
ALONE!!!
LAILA, MY CHILD. IT’S
ME. YOUR FAVOURITE DO YOU... DO
TEACHER... MISS YOU THINK
NASRA... WE’RE
TOO LATE,
I DON’T KNOW NASRA?...
ANY MISS
NASRA! GO
AWAYYY!!!

WE... WE CAN’T BE...

THEY MUST HAVE
THREATENED HER... OR
SAID SOMETHING TO
MAKE HER AFRAID.... OR
ANGRY....

WE’RE HERE TO
TAKE YOU HOME,
SWEETY.

BACK TO YOUR
OWN HOUSE.
GOOO
WHERE YOUR
AWAYYY!!!
PARENTS ARE.
LIARS!!
WHERE YOU
ALL
CAN BE WITH
LIARS!!!
YOUR FRIENDS
AND YOUR TOYS.
WHERE SCHOOL...

NO, LAILA. NO WHY WOULD I GO BACK HOME?! TO THE

ONE HERE IS PEOPLE WHO HATED ME! TO THE PEOPLE
LYING TO YOU. WHO SENT ME HERE! YOU ALL DON’T LAILA, LISTEN
WE’RE HERE TO EVEN LOVE ME!! LIARS!!! TO ME...
TAKE YOU HOME. PLEASEEE...
 YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE SCARED. I
PROMISE I WILL PROTECT YOU. LOOK
AT ME, LAILA. LOOK AT ME. YOUR PARENTS
WOULD NEVER SEND YOU AWAY. THEY
LOVE THEIR BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER SO
MUCH.

LEAVE ME ALONE! I HATE YOU! YOU

ARE ALL BAD PEOPLE AND YOU HATE
CHILDREN! YOU ALL JUST WANT TO
THROW US AWAY WHEN WE GET OLDER!
THE LORDS TOLD ME EVERYTHING!!

THE LORDS? WHO TOLD YOU THE LORDS NEVER LIE. THEY WARNED
THIS, LAILA? THIS ISN’T US ABOUT YOU ALL AND HOW YOU
TRUE. PLEASE, LAILA. YOU WILL TRY TO TURN US AGAINST THEM.
HAVE TO TRUST ME. WHAT OTHERS??
BUT, WE SHOULDN’T LISTEN TO YOU AND
WHAT
WE SHOULD FOCUS ON OUR MISSION.
MISSION???
OTHERWISE WE’LL ALSO END UP LIKE
THE OTHERS.

LIKE THOSE CHILDREN. DO YOU SEE

WHAT THEIR PARENTS DID TO THEM?!!
WE WILL AVENGE THEM. WE WILL
ATTACK THEIR PARENTS THE WAY
THEY ATTACKED THEM.
 LAILA, LOOK AT THEM. DO YOU THINK
ANY PARENT COULD EVER DO SOMETHING
LIKE THIS TO THEIR CHILD? DID YOUR
PARENTS EVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THIS
TO YOU? NO. BECAUSE THEY LOVE YOU,
LAILA. JUST LIKE ALL PARENTS DO.

THEN WHO DID THIS TO

THEM? WHY ARE THEY HERE?
WHY DIDN’T THEIR PARENTS
COME TO TAKE THEM? WHY
DIDN’T MY PARENTS COME TO
GET ME??

BECAUSE THE LORDS

LIED TO YOU, CHILD.
THEY TRICKED YOUR
PARENTS AND TOOK
YOU AWAY SO YOUR
PARENTS COULDN’T
FIND YOU.

YOUR PARENTS HAVE

GONE CRAZY LOOKING YOU KNOW, LAILA... WHEN
FOR YOU, LAILA! DAY AND I WAS YOUR AGE... THE
NIGHT! THEY DON’T EAT LORDS BROUGHT ME HERE
OR SLEEP. THEY’VE JUST TOO... THEY TOLD ME THE
BEEN WAITING FOR SAME LIES...
THEIR LITTLE GIRL TO
COME HOME. COME HOME, REALLY, MISS
LAILA. PLEASE, COME NASRA? WHAT
HOME. DID YOU DO
THEN??

I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING... BECAUSE NOBODY

CAME TO SAVE ME... I LIVED HERE AND BECAME
LIKE THE LORDS. I STARTED TO HATE. I BECAME
COLD AND BRUTAL... UNTIL ONE DAY, I WAS MADE
TO REALIZE HOW WRONG I WAS. I HAD TO GET
AWAY... TO FIND PEACE.

I ran away from here

and came to your
beautiful town, where
amazing people like
you and your parents
lived...
YOU ARE VERY LUCKY, LAILA. YOU
HAVE PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR YOU,
LIKE YOUR PARENTS. YOU HAVE
PEOPLE WHO CAME TO SAVE YOU.
NOT EVERYONE IS THIS BLESSED.

I AM SO
SORRY, MISS
NASRA.
 NASRA, WE SHOULD
HURRY! GUDDU
MUST BE WAITING
OUTSIDE FOR US.

I’VE GOT THE

DOOR!!

COME ON
LAIla!

WHERE’S
GUDDU??
 HE TOLD US HE’D BE
WAITING FOR US
HERE...

WHAT IF
HE GOT
CAUGHT??

!
L A PPPS
C PSS!
CLA

NASRA! NASRA!!
THE WINDOW
WE’LL HAVE TO IS GONE!!!
GET OUT THE
SAME WAY WE
CAME IN.

OKAY!
 WHAT?! HOW
CAN THAT BE?!

NO... NO... THIS CAN’T

BE HAPPENING
RIGHT NOW...

IT’S OKAY, LAILA.

I’M HERE. DON’T
YOU WORRY.
 WHAT IS THIS,
GUDDU? WHAT
ARE YOU
DOING??
AHHHHHHHH
HHHHH!!!
LAILA, WHAT’S
WRONG?! CALM
DOWN!

HE... HE BROUGHT
ME HERE... HE’S
THE ONE WHO
CONVINCED ME TO
COME HERE...

MY DEAR,
NASRA...

DID YOU REALLY

THINK IT WOULD
BE SO EASY TO RUN
AWAY FROM YOUR
PAST?
 NO ONE CAN
ESCAPE THEIR PAST.
IT’S DONE AND I
BUT THE FUTURE... OUR
HAVE THE SCARS TO
FUTURE WILL NOT BE
PROVE IT...
DEFINED BY WHO WE
ONCE WERE, BUT WHO
WE ARE TODAY...

... AND WHILE I

LIVE AND BREATHE,
THIS FUTURE
WILL NOT BE
DEFILED BY THE
LIKES OF YOU!

I WILL HOLD
them OFF!
RUN!!!!

to be continued...
 everyone has a secret

Nasra Jee, a transgender teacher living in the peaceful town

of East Norwayra, is finally attempting to lead a normal life.
However, when one of her students is taken away by militants, only
Nasra Jee is willing to do what is necessary to save the child. The
journey forces her to face a past she has struggled to forget and
to fight the unstill demons of her childhood. How far will Nasra
Jee go to protect innocence?

LOOK OUT FOR COMICS FOR PEACE AND CFx COMICS AT SAN DIEGO COMIC CON 2019!

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Copyrights Creative Frontiers, all rights reserved. Published by CFX Comics.