Chapter 58: -CHAPTER:57-

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Mrs. Shirazi ke studio mein wo is waqt akeli mojood thi. Tarteeb se rakhi paintings aur deegar ashya ko dekhte hue usne parde kheench kar hata diye the. Khidkiyon ko bhi khol diya tha. Khuli fiza mein gehri saansen leti, kitaabon ke rack ke saamne ja khadi hui thi. Arts aur shaayari ki bohot si kitaabein thi jinhein wo haathon mein le kar, chand safhein palat kar aur kuch ibaratein parh kar rakh rahi thi.

Kitaabon ke saath hi bilkul kone mein ek register size ka picture frame rakha tha. Usne wo frame utha liya tha. Us par charha kaaghazi cover hata diya. Ek shaan aur tamaknat se shahi kursi par barajmaan Azam Shirazi. Smart aur kasrati jism ke maalik, bhoore baal, bhoore rang ki tarasheeda daarhi, zairak nigahein. Bara'ub si shakhsiyat. Peshani toh bilkul Faris jaisi lag rahi thi.

Aqb mein Mrs. Shirazi apne shauhar ke humrah siyaah saari mein malboos khadi thi. Wo is qadr decent aur purkashish lag rahi thi ke Jannat kitni hi dair tak unke chehre par se nigah nahi hata saki. Besakhta unke chehre ko chhua. Unki siyaah aankhon mein zindagi ki ramak numaya thi. Aur unki muskurahat toh aaj bhi use bohot khoobsurat lagti thi.

Three-piece suit mein malboos Haroon Shirazi ke labon par ek halki muskurahat raqsaan thi. Azam Shirazi ke pehlu mein 7-8 saal ka pyara sa bacha khada tha. Yeh bacha Faris Wajdan nahi tha. Iski aankhein hazel nahi thi, na hi siyahi mail baalon mein shehed rang ki amezeesh thi.

Yeh ladka Hammad Shirazi tha. Ek mukammal khandan ki ek mukammal tasveer jismein Faris Wajdan kahin nahi tha.Usne ek baar phir apni nigaahein Azam Shirazi ke bawuqaar chehre par jamaayi thi. Usey laga woh... "woh mujhe maar denge," azeeyat mein doobi, khauf se larazti Faris ki awaaz.

"Koun?"

"Azam Shirazi!" Jannat ke dil ko ek dum se kuch hua. Khushk labon ko tar karte hue usne frame wapas rakhna chaaha tha jab Aqsa ne peeche se gardan nikaali thi.

"As-salamu alaykum aapi!"

"Uff Allah! Aqsa, dara diya tumne mujhe!"

Jannat ne seene par haath rakh kar use jhadak diya. Aqsa ne daant nikaale, phir frame ko dekha. Uski aankhein phail gayi.

"Arey, yeh bade sahab hain? Azam sahab?" Usne tasdeeq ke liye Jannat se poocha.

"Haan."

"Allah bakhshe unhe. Waise kehna toh nahi chahiye, par abba batate hain ke bohot sakht aadmi the," usne Azam Shirazi ko thoda ghabraayi hui nigahon se dekhte hue kaha.

"Unki shakhsiyat thi hi aisi. Tasveer mein bhi ek raub sa jhalak raha tha."

"Tumhare baba jaante hain unhe?" Jannat ne kuch hairat se mud kar poocha.

"Ji, abba ne koi das saal bade sahab ke ghar mein kaam kiya hai."

"Acha."

"Toh aur kya!" Uske liye yeh jaise ek bade aitraaz ki baat thi.

"Phir toh tumhare abba sabko jaante honge, Faris, Hammad bhai, aur Haroon uncle ko bhi."

"Arey kahan!" Aqsa ne aikdam se hath hilaya. Abba toh sirf Hammad sahab aur Haroon sahab ko jaante the. Faris sahab se kabhi mile hi nahi. Aapko pata hai, jab abba ko Faris sahab ne Islamabad bulaya tha, tab unhe pata chala yeh bhi unke bete hain. "Hahah!" Aqsa haath par haath maar kar hansi. Aur Jannat hiraan si usay dekhti reh gayi.

"Abba bohot bhole hain, aapi! Apne kaam se kaam rakhte hain, idhar udhar koi tawajjo hi nahi dete. Aapko pata hai, ek dafa khala Lahore se aayi hui thi, toh abba ammi se poochhne lage yeh kaun hai. Aur ammi ne unhe yu ghoora ke bas, keh lo batao, Biwi ki behen nahi pehchani gayi! Abba haste rahe ke bhai chhoti si bacchi hua karti thi, ab toh tumse bhi badi lag rahi hai. Aur ek baar rida ko apne saath Mian Abdul Hakeem ki shaadi par le gaye the. Wapsi par usay waha bhool aaye."

"Ek second," Jannat ne use par brake lagayi.

"Tumhare kehne ka matlab hai jab tumhare abba Faris ke dada ke ghar kaam karte the, toh wahan Faris nahi rehta tha?"

"Rehte honge ji, pakka rehte honge. Maine aapko bataya na, mere abba ne nahi dekha hoga." Use poora yaqeen tha.

"Aisa kaisa mumkin hai ke koi kisi ghar mein das saal kaam kare aur usay us ghar ke logon ka pata na ho?" Jannat ne uljhan se poocha.

Aqsa ne ek dum se chonk kar Jannat ko dekha. Uske Abba bohot bhole hain, yeh baat woh bhool gayi. Aankhein phailaaye Jannat ko dekhti rahi. Phir soch mein par gayi. Baat toh uski Aapi ki theek thi. Zehn ko Jannat gaya, toh yahan wahan dora kar kuch yaad karne ki koshish ki ke Abba ne aur kya bataya tha. Boli, "Aray haan, Aapi! Yeh sab toh zyada tar America mein rehte the." Usay ek dum yaad aaya toh khushi se kaha.

"kabhi kabhar chuttiyon mein aate the."

"Acha!" Uski nigahen ek baar phir tasveer par jam gayi thi.

"Arey main toh bhool gayi." Aqsa ko ek dum se kaam ki baat yaad aayi toh peshaani par haath maara. "Faris sahab, woh bula rahe hain aapko."

"Ab bata rahi ho?" Kuch farem rakh kar Jannat kuch ajalat mein qadam uthati studio se chali gayi thi. Aqsa ne ruk kar ek baar phir us tasveer ko dekha tha.

"Kaise dekh rahe the Azam Shirazi bilkul Faris sahab ki tarah." Jhunjhri si le kar usne socha tha. Phir sar jhatak kar bahar chali gayi thi.

•••

Shaam ka khana Jannat ne Faris aur Mrs. Shirazi ke saath lawn mein khaya tha. Kuch kaam ka bojh tha aur kuch is liye ke Faris pichhli kuch raato se bay-araam tha, toh sone ki gharz se woh jaldi hi kamre mein chala gaya tha. Jab ke Jannat kuch der tak Mrs. Shirazi ke paas hi baithi rahi thi.

Das baje kamre mein gayi toh usay pani ka khaali glass side table par rakhte dekh kar chonk gayi. Uska toh khayal tha ke woh ab tak so chuka hoga.

"Tum… abhi tak jaag rahe ho?" Zara sa hairaan hui.

"Haan, woh neend nahi aayi." Keh kar dobara let gaya. Comforter seena tak kheench liya, lamp on rehne diya. Jannat baayein taraf se apni jagah par aa gayi.

"Ek baat poochun?"

"Hmm!" Woh aankhein band kiye hue tha.

Woh kuch lamhon tak khamosh rahi.

"Tum mujhe ghar kyun dena chaah rahe the?" Jo sawaal dil mein tha, woh labo par aa gaya. Woh barabar mein bed se tek lagaye baithi thi.

Faris ne dheere se aankhein khol deen. Chand lamhon tak khamosh raha.

"Isliye ke agar tum alehedgi ka faisla karti ho, toh tumhare paas ek mustaqil thikana hona chahiye. Main nahi chahta tumhein kisi bhi tarah ki koi pareshani ho." Jannat kamal agle kai lamho tak kuch na keh saki.

Uski aankhon mein aansu thehre hue thay. Woh hamesha uske baare mein ghalat sochti thi. Ghalat andaze lagati thi.

Woh karwat ke bal baazu sar ke neeche rakhe usay dekhne laga. Muskurahat ke saath kaha, "Aur agar main alag hone ka faisla na karun toh?"

Kuch dair baad usne kaha. Faris ke labon par muskurahat si feli dabaa kar uski taraf mutwajjeh hua.

"Phir bhi tumhein aisa ghar chahiye jahan tum mujh se naraz ho kar jaa sako… main tumhein manane aa saku." Jannat aankhon mein nami aur dard liye usay dekh kar reh gayi. Us jawab ke liye woh tayyar nahi thi, bilkul bhi nahi thi. Usay ek dum se rona aaya magar zabt kiye rahi.

"Tumhein ghar kaisa laga?" Chand saniyon ke baad Faris ne poocha.

"Main theek se dekh nahi saki. Tumhein kaisa laga?" Jannat ne aahistagi se poocha.

"Behtareen. Mere khayal se to location bhi perfect hai. Yani Agar tum mujhse lad kar Wijdan House se paidal wahan jaana chahogi, toh sirf 10 minute lagege hain. Yeh alag baat hai ke jab tumhara apna driver hoga, toh 5 minute aur agar driving seat maine smbhal li hogi to pura ek ghanta lagega." Aur Jannat aansu bhari aankho ke saath ek dum se hans padi. Faris ke liye us pal uski hansi se zyada keemti shey kuch nahi thi.

"Yani tum abhi bhi apna faida aur aasani dekh rahe ho?"

"Bilkul, mera haq hai aisa karna."

"Done kar doon?" Faris ne tasdeeq chahi.

Usne aahistagi se asbat mein sar hilaaya.

"Waise, main itni bhi kangli nahi hoon jitna tum mujhe samajh rahe ho," chand lamho ke baad uski taraf dekhte hue boli. Aankhon mein chamak thi aur lehja khushgawar ho gaya tha. Kuch der pehle jo uska chehra murjhaaya hua tha, ab phool ki tarah khil gaya tha.

"Mere nana ne apna ghar mere naam kiya tha. Bohot bada ghar hai, bohot pyara bhi."

"Haan, lekin itna door hai, ab tumhe Quetta manane kaun jaayega?"

Woh ek dum se chok gayi. "Tumhein kaise pata ke mere nana ka ghar Quetta mein hai?"

Faris ki neend dham se urri. Usne aankhon par se bazu hata kar usay dekha. Woh kuch der pehle letay huye thi, ab bed par paalte maare intehai usay mashkook nigahon se ghur rahi thi.

"Tumne bataya tha mujhe" Faris ne sambhalte hue kaha.

"Maine yeh baat tumhe kabhi nahi batayi," woh puray yakeen se boli. Faris ne andar hi andar apne aap ko kosa. Bhala kya jarurat thi is tarah baat karne ki.

"Batayi thi, tum bhool gayi."

"Tum jhoot bol rahe ho! Yakeenan kuch chhupa rahe ho tum mujhse."

"Bilkul nahi, tum aisa kyun soch rahi ho?"

Jannat ke tewar kaafi had tak khatarnaak ho chuke the.

"Tumne meri jaasoosi ki?"

Faris ka moonh sadme or herat se khul gaya.

"Main aisa kyun karunga?"

"Yeh toh tumhi behtar bata sakte ho."

"God sake, Jannat!"

"Phir tumhe kaise pata chala ke mere nana ka ghar Quetta mein hai, haan?"

Woh lajawab ho gaya.

"Aur yaad hai, ek baar tumne mujhse kaha tha..." Jannat ne khankar kar apna gala saaf kiya, tasuraat me ekdam se masnoi sanjeedgi le aayi.

"Tum main itni si bhi dilchaspi nahi rakhta ke apne aadmiyo ko tumhare hawalay se order deta firu."

"Yaad aaya?"

Faris ko sab kuch achi tarah se yaad aagaya.

"Soh jao, Jannat," comforter sar tak lete hue apni shkl ko gum karna chahi

Jannat ne foran comforter kheench kar hata diya.

"Meri baat abhi khatam nahi hui hai."

Wo usay bebasi se dekh kar reh gyaa. Usay samajh nahi aaya ke ab is masle se kaise jaan chhuraye.

"Mujhe subah office bhi jaana hai."

"Haan, toh maine kab kaha ke mat jana?" Jannat ne zidd se kaha, lips bhainch kar usay ghurti rahi. Faris gehri saans lekar reh gaya.

"Aakhir tum maan kyun nahi rahe ke tumne meri saari maloomaat nikalwayi hai?"

Woh khamosh ho gaya. Jannat jhuk kar uski aankhon mein dekhte hue usay parhti rahi.

"Dekha…" Phir foran seedhi ho kar baith gayi. "Mujhe pata tha tum jhoot bol rahe ho. Maine apne Quetta wale ghar ke baare mein tumhe kabhi kuch nahi bataya." Wo kohni k bal jara sa utha.

"Ab pen aur paper uthao aur baith kar novel likho. Maine tumhe tumhare us Quetta wale ghar ki wajah se apnaya hai, kyun ke wo ghar ek aise ilaqe mein hai jiska mol crore mein hai. Zameen ke neeche khazana chhupa hai. Wahin kahin meri koi mehbooba bhi rehti hai. Jinnat ke saath bhi mera rabta hai. Aur main tumhe behla phisla kar wahan le jaana chahta hoon, taake tum kisi kunwen mein gir kar halaak ho jao aur main woh zameen hathiya saku."

Jannat is itnaad par ek dum bhonchalayi, aur phir chid kar usne haath mein aaya cushion uthakar usay de maara. Faris ki hansi besaakhta thi. Naraz hokar foran se uth gayi.

"Main toh tumhari mushkil aasan kar raha tha. Tum saari raat sochti hi rehti aur tumhe neend hi na aati."

"Maine socha mumkina scenario khud hi tyyar kar doon." Usne aankhon mein shararat liye sanjeedgi se kaha, lehja mutabassim tha. Sleeper pehnte hue usay tilmalte hue dekha.

"Baat mat karo mujhse tum," aur phir baahar chali gayi. Darwaza band karte hue usne darwaze ko hi kuch ghuriya di.

"Meri saari maloomat nikalwayi hai aur zahir aise karta hai jaise kuch jaanta nahi" woh burburaate hue kitchen mein chali gayi.

Pura ghar khamoshi mein dooba hua tha. Usne paani piya, aur ek bottle saath liye waapis kamray mein aagayi. Aahistagi se darwaza band karke kuch dair apni jagah baithi rahi. Aur jab tasalli ho gayi ke woh so chuka hoga, toh uth kar uski bed side table ki taraf aa gayi. Mobile ki flashlight on karke aahistagi se drawer khola. Andar rakhi cheezon ko idhar udhar kiya allergy ki tablets, kuch zaroori kaghzaat, wallet, aur ghadi ke siwa aur kuch nahi tha.

Usne phir sofa par rakhi uski jacket ki talashi li. Daayen jeb se sleeping pills aur kuch medicines mil gaye. Apne andar ek ajeeb si be sakooni aur dar mehsoos karte hue, woh apni jagah khadi rahi. London jaane se pehle usay yeh masla nahi tha, esa wo janti thi ya shayad tab bhi hota ho, aur usay andaza nahi tha. "Yeh kab se shuru hua tha?"

Magar ab kuch adwayat ka Faris ke sath mustaqil tor se jud jana usay sadid pareshani me mubtila kar gaya tha.

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