Chapter 69: CHAPTER - 68

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~ 𝑴𝒖𝒋𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒐...

𝑱𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒌𝒐𝒊 𝒃𝒂𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒌𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒊,

𝑵𝒂 𝒕𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒋𝒋𝒂𝒉 𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒓 𝒏𝒂 𝒃𝒆-𝒌𝒉𝒂𝒚𝒂𝒍𝒊 𝒔𝒆.

𝑫𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒎𝒆 𝒌𝒂𝒅𝒎𝒐 𝒌𝒊 𝒌𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒉 𝒂𝒂𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒊𝒏,

𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒓 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒂𝒕𝒂 𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒋𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒌𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒚𝒂,

𝒂𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒘𝒂 𝒎𝒆𝒊𝒏 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒊 𝒌𝒆 𝒋𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆

𝒉𝒂𝒘𝒂 𝒍𝒆𝒉𝒓𝒂𝒚𝒆 𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒌𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒒𝒕 𝒈𝒖𝒛𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒂 𝒉𝒐 𝒋𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆…

𝒚𝒆𝒉 𝒅𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒊 𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒃 𝒈𝒖𝒛𝒓𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒉𝒕𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒊

𝒘𝒐𝒉 𝒓𝒂𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒊 𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒂𝒚𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒉𝒕𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒊

𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒋𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒅𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒉𝒍𝒌𝒆 𝒌𝒊 𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒊 𝒎𝒆𝒊𝒏

𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒋𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒒𝒕 𝒌𝒊 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒊 𝒎𝒆𝒊𝒏

𝒎𝒖𝒋𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒐…

𝒋𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒌𝒐𝒊 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒌𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒊

𝒎𝒖𝒋𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒈𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒐 𝒎𝒆𝒊𝒏 𝒌𝒚𝒂 𝒌𝒆𝒉𝒕𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒏

𝒌𝒉𝒖𝒍𝒊 𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒉𝒐 𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒋𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝒋𝒂𝒈𝒕𝒆

𝒑𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒐 𝒌𝒐 𝒕𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒎, 𝒃𝒆𝒅𝒂𝒂𝒓 𝒓𝒂𝒌𝒉𝒕𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒆

𝒂𝒃𝒓 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒉𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒊, 𝒅𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒒𝒂𝒅𝒎𝒐 𝒋𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆  𝑨𝒍𝒇𝒂𝒂𝒛 𝒌𝒊 𝒅𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒎𝒊 𝒔𝒂𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒌𝒆 𝒋𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆,

𝑯𝒂𝒘𝒂, 𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒊 𝒂𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒇𝒛 𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝒌𝒐𝒊 𝒂𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒛 𝒌𝒊𝒚𝒆

𝒚𝒆𝒉 𝒋𝒐 𝒉𝒖𝒎 𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒖𝒓 𝒚𝒆𝒉 𝒎𝒂𝒉 𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒂𝒍 𝒐 𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒉𝒆

𝑵𝒂 𝒂𝒓𝒔𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒒𝒕 𝒌𝒊 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒓 𝒖𝒅𝒂𝒂𝒔𝒊 𝒍𝒊𝒚𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒆,  𝑴𝒖𝒋𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒐 𝒋𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒌𝒐𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒒𝒕 𝒌𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒊 !!

𖹭𖹭𖹭

Aur garmi ki woh chhuttiya kabhi nahi aayi thi. Woh wada kabhi poora nahi ho saka tha. Woh khushi se bhare pal, masoom muskurahate, woh aankhon ki chamak aur zindagi ka ehsaas kabhi wapas nahi aaya tha.

Apne aane wale kal se bilkul be-khabar, 14 saal ka Faris Wajdan pehli dafa apne halat ko nahi dekh raha tha, na zakhamo ko mehsoos kar raha tha. Uske andar sukoon ki ek kaifiyat thi, jaise ek lambe safar ke baad kahin rukne ki kaifiyat.

Ek ke baad ek, do gaadiyan Shirazi mansion se bahar gayi thi. Dono ka raasta mukhtalif aur manzil mukhtalif thi.

Jab uski gaadi apne safar par ravana ho gayi, toh woh gardan mor kar bahar dekhna shuru kiya. Hall tak ka safar teen ghanton par mushtamil tha. Gadi har taraf hari-bhari darakhto se ghiri ek lambi shahrah par thi. Bulandi se woh neeche door tak nazar aane wali doosri sadak ko dekh sakta tha, ta-had-e-nigaah phaili hui waadiyan, sabzey aur baaghon ko dekh sakta tha. Uske haath mein ek notepad tha, jisme woh kuch likh raha tha. Chand lafz, waqt, maheenon ki muddat, aur tareekh thi... Shirazi house mein wapsi ki tareekh thi.

Woh garmi ki chhuttiyo mein zaroor aane wala tha. Usne jannat ke khwabo ko haqeeqat mein rangne ka faisla kar liya tha. Usne pahaado, daryao, aur har ek ghaati aur waadi tak jaane ka irada kar liya tha. Zindagi ka ye ehsaas khoobsurat tha.

Isi khoobsurat ehsaas ko jeete hue, usne sar uthakar khidki Se bahar dekha tha. Door bohot door aur qadray neechaai mein ek aur sadak thi. Aur usi sadak par usay Agha Ali ki jeep daurti hui nazar aa rahi thi. Pehle pehal usey woh manzar ek dhoka, ek saraab jaisa laga tha. Magar jo usne dekha, woh haqeeqat thi. Uske ta'assuraat yakayak badal gaye, aankhon mein ghair mehmm sa ta'assur zahir ho gaya tha. Gaari to kharab thi, aur maintenance ke liye workshop mein mojood thi, to yeh be-ikhtiyar mur kar peeche tak dekha. Ghane darakhto ka silsila shuru hua to gaari ojhal ho gayi. Bulandi se dhalwan ka rukh karti ghane darakhton mein chhup kar guzarti hui woh gaari usay uljhan mein mubtala kar gayi.

Woh Aazam Shirazi ke zair-e-iste'maal rehne wali makhsoos gaariyo mein pehle kabhi sawar nahi hua tha. Na hi aisa koi hukm mulaazimo ko diya gaya tha. Usey chorhne aur le jane ki zimmedari sirf Agha Ali par thi. Sirf wohi uske schedule aur maamlat se ba-khabar rehta tha. Uske mutaliq jo bhi hukm hota, usi ko milta tha.

Magar ab Agha Ali nahi tha. Do guards they aur unke andaaz se wazeh tha ke woh bhi kisi sakht hukm ke taib they. Woh zara sa mashkook aur kuch muztarib ho kar dono guards ko dekhne laga.

Ek guard drive kar raha tha to doosra chauknna ho kar baitha tha. Jaane kya wajah thi ke uske ehsasat ajeeb hone lage. Chhati hiss ne khabar kar di, kuch ghalat hone wala hai. Gahri saans le kar har tarah ke manfi khayalat ko jhatak kar woh notepad par jhuk gaya. Mazeed chand hi alfaz likhe thay jab firing ki awaaz ke saath gaari aik jhatke se bay-qaboo hui thi. Sheeshe jhamake se toot kar bikhre thay. Uske haath se qalam chhuta tha, notepad bhi, pani ki bottle bhi. Goli driver ka Seena cheer gayi thi. Ek zabardast jhatke se woh agle seat se, peechay ki taraf ja kar darwaze se takraya tha. itni shiddat se ke sheeshe ke tukray uski pusht aur seene par chale gaye. Chot sar ke pichle hisse par lagi. Gaadi ghoomti hui darakhto se takra kar kahin khaai mein ult gayi.

Us ki aankhein khuli thi magar kuch dikhai nahi de raha tha, na hi sama'at kaam kar rahi thi. Woh seat belt mein phansa hua tha. Uske haath bejaan se latak rahe the. Peshani se phoot'ti khoon ki dhaar qatra qatra girne lagi, sheeshe ke tukron ko takne lagi. Usne aankhein khol kar dekhne ki koshish ki thi. Gaari ka agla hissa jhammke se aag ki lapait mein aaya tha. Dhuaan barh gaya, dhuaan phail gaya. Andar aur bahar, ek jaisi kefiyat. Mushkil se saans lete hue usne palkain jhapkayi. Firing ki awaaz phir se goonji. Doosra guard bhi maara gaya. Usne kisi qadr koshish se apne haath ko jambish di, mushkil se khench kar belt tak laya.

Kholti band hoti aankhein un qadamo ko dekh sakti thi jo uski khidki ke paas aa kar thehray thay. Sadak par tezi se farari bharti Agha Ali ki jeep aankhon mein lehrai. Zehan mein koi khayal dard ban kar ubhara. Talkh haqeeqat ne usey gardan se pakar liya. Aankh kinare aansoo khoon mein shaamil hua, safhay par gira aur tareekh par sabt hua.

"Mulaazimon ke bachay in gaariyo mein safar kar sakte hain?"

"Jee, sahab ne ijaazat di hai."

Shok se guzarte, karb aur aziyat ka idraak karte mushkil se saans lete, himmat peda kar ke belt ko kholna chaha. Poori quwat se, poori shiddat se magar ungliyo mein taqat na rahi.

Aahni darwaza ek jhatke se kheencha gaya tha, ghaliban kholne ki koshish ki ja rahi thi. Gaari mein dhuaan bhar raha tha. Sholay tez ho rahe the.

"Har haal mein ladka chahiye, aur zinda chahiye," jaane kis ne chinghaad kar kaha tha. Darwaza khenchnay mein shiddat aa gayi thi. Gaari ke baaqi maanda sheesho ko bhaari boot se toda gaya. Usne band hoti aankhein khol kar dekhna chaha. Usse agle nashist par do laashein thi aur teesri laash woh ho raha tha.

Seat belt khol diya gaya. Usay mazboot haathon ne pakar kar kheencha. Sheeshe ki ragad se pusht chal gayi. Dard ki lehar dahine baazu se aur kando se uth'ti hui usay pasliyon tak mehsoos hui. Woh bejaan hota ek dum se chikha gaya tha, aur agle hi pal woh gaari se bahar tha. Usey kheenchte hue sholay ki zad mein aati is gaari se door kar diya gaya.

Usne dhundli nigaho se aag ki lapait mein aati us gaari ko dekha. Aawaaz dhamaakay ki thi. Uska wujood andar tak laraz utha tha. Woh aakhri manzil, woh aag, woh sholay ka manzar, maut ka manzar.

"Main garmiyo ki chuttiyo mein zaroor aaonga."

Sabza, hariyali, aur baagh aur door tak phaila hua sabza aankh ki aankh mein raakh hua. Roshniya gul hui, darakht murjha gaye.

"Wada…?" Aasman tareek aur ek dum se siyah ho gaya.

"Pakka wada…!" Woh kisi jannat se keh raha tha.

Uski soch, khayalaat, dard ka ehsas, khauf ka idraak sab jamid hua. Aankhe band ho gayi.

Tareeki ne jaise usey mukammal tor par nigal liya tha.

"𝑴𝒖𝒋𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒐…!

𝑱𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒌𝒐𝒊 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒌𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒊,

𝒈𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒍 𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒑𝒂𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒌 𝒅𝒂𝒂𝒓 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂 𝒂𝒃𝒓,

𝒅𝒉𝒖𝒂𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒂 𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒂𝒚𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒓 𝒈𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒃 𝒉𝒐 𝒋𝒂𝒂𝒚𝒆.

𝑹𝒂𝒂𝒕 𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒌𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒖𝒋𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒌𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒂 𝒔𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒖 𝒌𝒂𝒓 𝒋𝒂𝒂𝒚𝒆, 𝒕𝒖𝒎 𝒉𝒊 𝒕𝒖𝒎 𝒉𝒐 𝒂𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒖𝒎𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒕𝒂 𝒉𝒖𝒂 𝒋𝒊𝒔𝒎.

𝑻𝒖𝒎 𝒉𝒊 𝒕𝒖𝒎 𝒉𝒐 𝒂𝒖𝒓 𝒓𝒂𝒂𝒕 𝒋𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒂 𝒕𝒖𝒎𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒉𝒓𝒂.

𝑻𝒖𝒎 𝒉𝒊 𝒕𝒖𝒎 𝒉𝒐 𝒂𝒖𝒓 𝒚𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒃𝒓 𝒂𝒂𝒛𝒎𝒂 𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒋, 𝒋𝒐 𝒈𝒂𝒍𝒊 𝒑𝒂𝒂𝒓 𝒌𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒍-𝒐-𝒅𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒂𝒈𝒉 𝒎𝒆𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒂𝒚𝒊.

𝑸𝒂𝒅𝒎𝒐 𝒌𝒆 𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒂𝒏 𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒉𝒐𝒏 𝒌𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒏.

𝑴𝒖𝒋𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒐,  𝑱𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒌𝒐𝒊 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒌𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒊 !"

❏❏❏

Jamila Daud ka America mein ye doosra hafta tha, aur is dauran ek baar bhi unka raabta Faris Wajdan se nahi ho saka tha. Wo kai baar Shirazi Mansion mein call kar chuki thi. Har baar mulazim Faris ka naam sunte hi unse mazrat kar lete the. Azam Sherazi ka hukum tha. Woh apne malik ki khilaf warzi nahi kar sakte thay. Unhone Azam Shirazi ko baar baar phone kiya tha. Unki minnat ki thi, ke sirf phone par raabta karne dein, magar unhone inkaar kar diya tha.

"Pehle hi tumne is ladke ko sar par chadha kar acha khaasa bigaad diya hai. Ab jabke wo boarding school mein set ho chuka hai, toh main mazeed koi ghalti bardasht nahi kar sakta."

Woh main Marathon beach par apne aali shan ghar ki deewar geer khidkiyo ke samne beqarari se tahal rahi thi. Jhatke se ruk gayi.

"Aapne aapne? Faris ko boarding school bhej diya hai?" Dimagh sadme se ma'oof ho gaya tha.

Unhein woh tamaam waade yaad aa gaye jo unhone Faris se kiye the. Woh khushiyon bhare lamhe, umeed bhari baatein. Woh mohabbat, yaqeen aur aitbaar ki saa'atain. Woh sab jaise sheeshe ka mahal tha, jhamakay se toot kar unhein lahu lahan kar gaya.

"Baba! Yeh aapne kya kiya hai?" Woh taqreeban ro dene wali ho gayi.

"Aap nahi jaante, main jaanti hoon usay. Bohot hassas hai woh, naye mahol mein is tarah adjust nahi kar payega. Aap please usey wapas bula lein."

"JAMILA!" Unki kaat daar awaaz ne unka naam liya tha. Nichla lab kaat'te, aankho mein nami liye woh chup ho gayi.

"Mujhe uske saath kya karna hai aur kya nahi, main yeh bohat achi tarah se janta hoon. Tumhe wahan maine is liye bheja hai taa ke tum apne shohar aur bete par focus kar sako. Faris meri zimmedari hai. You stay out of it."

"Aapko uspar taras nahi aata?" Unka lehja bheega hua tha. Peshani par haath rakhe woh be-basi ki inteha par thi.

"Woh aapka khoon hai. Aapke is tarah usey radd kar dene se uski yeh haqeeqat kabhi nahi badal sakti."

"Haan! Yeh haqeeqat ke woh us badnaam zamana ladki ka beta hai, kabhi nahi badal sakti," unhone jabde bheench kar kaha.

"Woh Haroon ka beta hai, Baba!"

"Haroon ki ghalti. Haroon ka gunaah hai woh." Is qadar ishtial mein aakar baat ki ke woh apni jagah ruk gayi.

"Main na is nikah ko manta hoon, na hi iske rishte ko tasleem karta hoon. Woh larka abhi tak zinda hai to sirf is liye ke main Haroon ko inn mamlat se door rakhne ke liye aisa kar raha hoon. Mujhe majboor mat karo Jamila ke main koi intehai qadam uthao jis par tumhein pachhtana pare" Sakht lehje mein unho ne mutanabbeh kiya tha.

"Uski maa ki jo auqaat hai, main usey bhi ussi mein rakhunga."

"Aap Arzoo ka gussa Faris par kyun nikaal rahe hain?"

"Main kisi ka gussa kisi par nahi nikaal raha. Jo hona chahiye, wohi kar raha hoon. Woh larka humare khandaan ka hissa kabhi nahi ban sakta. Kabhi nahi!" Unki bhaari raub daar awaaz unke hatmi faisle ki numaindagi thi.

Unho ne gusse mein call kaat di. Jamila haathon mein phone liye baithi reh gayi thi. Halaq mein aansuon ka phanda atak gaya tha.

Us raat woh bawajood koshish ke so nahi saki thi. Reh reh kar Faris ka khayaal aata raha. Guzishta chhay saal maanoon mein simat kar zehan mein ghoomte rahe. Unhein apni be-basi par gussa, un halat par, aise rishto par aur unki soch par gussa aata raha. Rona aata raha.

Woh itni majboor kyun thi? Unke bas mein kuch kyun nahi aata tha? Uth kar ghar mein chalti rahi.

"Tum jaag rahi ho abhi tak?" Haroon ke aane par unhein khidki ke samne dekh kar poocha. Woh mud kar unhein dekhne lage.

Woh uski sagi maa nahi thi, phir bhi uske liye bechain ho rahi thi. Aur woh uska saga baap ho kar bhi sukoon ki neend so raha tha.

"Kuch nahi. Aise hi neend nahi aa rahi thi," palkain jhuka kar aansuon ka asar zaail karti woh rukh badal gayi thi. Baat karne ka koi faida na tha, dono paas apne apne mawafiq ki thos daleele thi. Aur woh chaah kar bhi in daleelo ko rad nahi kar paati thi.

"Kya tum jaante ho, Baba ne Faris ka admission boarding school mein karwa diya hai?" Agle din jese hi Hammad school ke liye rawana hua, unho ne nashtay ki table par Haroon se kaha. Cup par uski giraft bas ek lamhe ke liye mazboot hui thi. Tasuraat bhi ek lamhe ke liye badlay thay. Nazro ka irtikaaz bhi usi muddat ke liye bhonka tha. Chand lamhon ka khel, chand saniyo ka qissa tha aur Haroon Shirazi ne guzishta saat saalon ki tarah ab bhi khud ko sakht pathar kar liya tha.

"Baba jaisa munasib samjhein kar sakte hain." Usne doosre haath se akhbar khol kar phela liya. Woh navy blue three-piece suit mein malboos tha, gel se baal peeche ki taraf jhade hue the. Tarasheeda darhi chehre ki wajahat mein izafa kar rahi thi. Tasuraat sanjeedgi mein dhal gaye thay.

"Woh Faris ko jaan se maar dein to kya aap tab bhi yehi kahenge?"

Jamila, dining hall mein Haroon Shirazi ki awaaz sakht ho kar goonji thi. Aankho ka tasur pathreela ho gaya tha.

"Kya main ghalat keh rahi hoon? Aap ko gussa aa gaya hai? Jo kuch woh seh raha hai, aap usey zindagi kehte hain?"

Haroon ne mutthiya sakhti se bhinch li thi. Cup mez par rakh diya tha.

"Baba uska bohat khayal rakh rahe hain. Usey kisi cheez ki kami nahi hai."

"Cheezo ki kami nahi hai, insano ki to hai. Rishto ki to hai. Uske paas aap nahi hain, main nahi hoon. Uski maa nahi hai."

"

"Arzoo se shaadi meri zindagi ki sabse bari ghalti thi. Kya is baat ka ehsaas dilana chahti ho ho tum?" Woh bhadak utha.

"Aap ghalat kyun soch rahe hain?"

"Bilkul sahi soch raha hu me" unki aankho ki surkhi barh gayi thi.

"Main aap se aapke bete ki baat kar rahi hoon, Haroon!"

Woh apni jagah ruk gaya. Chand saniyo ke liye ek sukoon sa tari raha, jaise kuch kehne ko baqi na raha ho. Larne ko koi daleel, wazahat ke liye koi lafz, barat ke liye koi hujjat na rahi ho.

"Baba ne kaha hai, main usey bhool jaon." Woh kursi dhakel kar uth gaya tha. "Aur main usey bhoolne ki koshish kar raha hoon. Kyun tum baar baar..."

"Why do you have to forget your own child?" Woh rote huye us par cheekh parin. Haroon munjamid, apni jagah ruk gaya. Mur kar unhein dekha.

"Kyun zaroori hai aap ke liye usey disown karna? Is khauf se ke kahin Baba aapko apni tamam jaidad se aaq na kar dein?" Unki awaaz rundi hui thi. "Aap ko lagta hai, Baba waqai aisa kar sakte hain? Ek baar baat to karein. Apne bachhe ke liye koi stand to lein. Main wada karti hoon, aapka poora saath doongi." Woh uth kar uske paas aayin, narami se uske baazu par haath rakha. Kajal se tabreez aankhon mein huzn thehra tha. "Hum usay yahan le aayenge. Woh hamare saath rahega."

"Baba kya kar sakte hain aur kya nahi, yeh mujhse behtar koi nahi jaanta." Usne Jamila ka haath apne baazu se hata diya. Kuch dair unka haath apne haath mein liye khara raha.

"Yeh pehle mera aur Faris ka maamla tha, ab Baba ka aur Faris ka maamla hai. Tum bhool rahi ho magar mujhe yaad hai, woh wada jo maine Baba se kiya tha."  Jamila ne saday se usey dekhte hue, nafi mein sar hilate, apna haath chhuda liya.

"Jamila!"

Unho ne ulte qadam peechay hotay hue haath utha kar usay mazeed kuch bhi kehne se rok diya.

"Main bhi kis mein ehsaas jagane ki koshish kar rahi hoon?" Nam aankhon ke saath kuch azeet se muskurayin.

"Aap ne to khud apne bachay ko disown kiya hai. Aap ne to uski ek mulazim ki haisiyat ko sab se pehle qubool kiya hai, aur main... main aap se baat kar rahi hoon." Taasuf aur dukh se sar hilati woh dining hall chhod kar chali gayi. Haroon Shirazi apni jagah khara reh gaya tha.

Pakistan mein rabte ki har koshish taqreeban na kaam rahi thi. Shirazi Mansion se to Azam Shirazi ne un ka rabta mukammal tor par munqati' karwa diya tha. Faris se mutaliq koi bhi baat ya khabar un tak nahi pahunch sakti thi. Woh Pakistan mein kaisa tha, kis haal mein tha, apne hostel mein adjust ho paya tha ya nahi, fikr aur parwaah ki lehr par uthtay kisi bhi sawal ka koi jawab nahi mil sakta tha.

Unhein apni zindagi ek dum se bohat adhoori si lagne lagi. Rehm bhar dil, ek maa ka dil tha, tarap bhi waisi hi rakhta tha. Bache ki judai mein beqaraari unke ang ang se jhalakti thi.

Halaat ko badla nahi ja sakta tha, na hi zindagi ko roka ja sakta tha. Unhein apni zaat se juday dusray rishton ka bhi khayal rakhna tha, apna bhi khayal rakhna tha. Us gham aur pareshani se nikalne ke liye unho ne khud ko zindagi mein masroof rakhne ki saayi ki thi. Apna studio tarteeb diya, apne takhayyul ki dhaar par bikhre rangon ko chuna aur apne pehle solo exhibition ki tayari shuru kar di. Aur pehle...

Woh apne zehan ko bhatkana chahti thi, tamam tar fikr aur andeshon ko sulana chahti thi. Faris Pakistan mein akela hai, is khayal se jo takleef pohanchti thi, is takleef ko dabana chahti thi.

Woh ek landscape artist thi. Rango se qudrati manazir takhleek kiya karti thi. Qudrati manazir mein zindagi ka rang dikhati thi. Sabza, bahaar, oonche liye pahaar, waadiya, poori raat ka khoobsurat chaand aur phoolon ke dilfareb nazaray. Unhein rang bhale lagte thay, magar ab to jaise unki har painting gehrey

bhoore, siyaah aur mubham rangon ka imtizaj ho gayi thi.

Tawajjo ka markaz ab Hammad tha. Woh usay apni taraf se poora waqt deti thi. Uski har baat sunti thi. Uska har lehaaz se khayal rakhti thi, magar phir bhi Hammad ko lagta tha ke mummy kahin kho gayi hain. Woh usay sun nahi rahi, usey dekh nahi rahi.

Shopping ke liye jaatin to be-dhiyaani mein kuch na kuch Faris ke liye bhi dekhne lag jaatin. Markers, diaries, chhoti size ki araishi care jo woh aksar apni writing table par sajaye rakhta tha, kehta tha registers, remote control cars, unhein jahan bhi jo cheez pasand aati, woh uske liye le leti. Ghar aakar woh kitni hi der tak un cheezon ko haatho mein liye baithi rehti thi.

"Woh bara ho jaayega aur yeh cheezain uske liye chhoti ho jaayengi. Ghair ahem, ghair zaroori aur uski pasand ke har daaire se bahar nikal jaayengi." Unhein afsos hota. Guzarte waqt se khauf aata. Kuch bhi kharidte waqt jo excitement hoti, woh ghar aake gham mein badal jaati. Woh cheeze unke haathon se phir aaghosh mein hoti. Seene se lag jaati, jaise woh Faris ko khud mein sameta karti thi. Uski muskurahat yaad aati. Uski aankhon ka rang yaad aata. Uske chhote chhote haathon ka apni hathailiyo par thehrna yaad aata. Woh waqt, bate, aur khoobsurat yaadain maazi hokar unhein zyada takleef pahunchane lagi thi.

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