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zam Shirazi Pakistan ja rahe the. Rawangi ke waqt Jamila Daud ne ek bag alag se tayar kar ke de diya.
"Yeh Faris ke liye hai." Unho ne sawaliya abroo uthai to jawab diya. Kuch dair tak woh apni jagah khade rahe.
"Is ka kya karu?"
"Us tak pohncha dein." Hammad apne doston ke sath outing ke liye gaya hua tha. Andar dakhil hua aur apni jagah ruk gaya. Woh uski mojoodgi se qatae be-khabar Azam Shirazi ki taraf mutwajjah theen.
"Tumhein itminaan kyun hai ke mein yeh samaan us tak pahucha duga?"
"Cheezo se kya farq parta hai? Unka intizam to aap ne bhi khoob kar rakha hai."
Woh note kar rahe the ke woh pehle ki tarah khul kar un se baat nahi karti theen. Aur un se to Faris ka zikar karta bhi taqreeban chhor diya tha.
"Zaroori nahi ke mera naam le. Bas pahucha dein."
Azam Shirazi ki nazar un ke aqab mein Hammad par pari to sanjeeda se ta'assuraat aik dum se narmi mein dhal gaye. Bag se nazar banate us ke paas chale gaye.
"Aap ja rahe hain Baba?" Woh unki baaho mein sama gaya.
"Hmm!" Uski peshaani ka bosa liya. Uske balon ko bhi bakhair diya.
"Mein bhi aap ke sath Pakistan jaana chahta hoon par Dad, woh kuch mane tab na!"
"Tumhare Dad ko bhi mein hi mana karta hoon."
Jamila ne woh bag unke suitcase par rakh diya.
"Halat kuch behtar ho jayein to phir Pakistan aana."
"Agle saal ka wada kar ke jaaye. Balke aap yahan nahi aayenge balkay mein aap ke paas aaonga."
"Wada!" Unho ne kaha.
Jamila Daud aur Hammad Shirazi se mil kar woh bahar chale gaye. Mulazim mustaed the, bahar unki gaari bhi tayar khadi thi.
Siyah bag unke suitcase handle ke sath atka reh gaya tha. Jamila Daud bhaari dil ke sath baironi darwaze ke steps par khadi theen. Albata dada ke jaate hi Hammad ke ta'assurat pal bhar mein badal gaye the, aankhon mein khafgi si aa gayi thi. Woh jaanta tha, siyah bag mein kya tha, aur kis ke liye tha.
America mein yeh unka teesra saal tha, Azam Shirazi ke business partner Fawad Khakwani ke bete ki shaadi thi. Unhain bhi khas tor par mad'u kiya gaya tha. Azam Shirazi ne phone par rabta karke ticket ki baat ki to kuch dair tak to unhein apni sama'at par yaqeen hi nahi aaya. Khushi se aankhein nam ho gayi. Hammad ek maah pehle hi apne dada se milne Pakistan gaya hua tha. Pandrah din baad unhein bhi Haroon ke sath Pakistan jaana tha. Sab maamlat tay ho chuke to unho ne Faris ke liye shopping ki. Us ke liye shirts, hoodies, aur trousers khareede. Bag khareeda. Kuch kitabein muntakhib ki. Woh itni khush theen ke paon zameen par nahi lag rahe the. Seene se bojh sirkta hua mehsoos ho raha tha.
"Haan, woh un se shadeed naraaz hoga, ladega, royega. Baat nahi karega, magar woh usey mana legi, Woh hamesha usay mana leti theen. Jab bhi us ka chehra haathon mein leti thee, us ka naam leti theen, us ka haath karti thee, to woh apni tamam tangi ke bawajood narm par jata tha. Woh un se zyada dair naraaz nahi reh sakta tha." Woh khayalo mein sab tarteeb deti ja rahi theen. Sab acha aur pehle jaisa karne ka soche ja rahi theen. Magar hamesha waisa to nahi hota jaisa aap sochte hain. Jaisa aap chahte hain. Jamila Daud ke sath bhi yahi maamla pesh aane wala tha. Unke wohm o gumaan mein bhi nahi tha ke Pakistan pohnchne tak unhein kitni buri khabar milne wali hai.
"Mujhe suno!
Jaise koi barish ko sunta hai
Saale guzar jaate hain
Aur lamhe palat aate hain.
Kya aglay kamray mein qadmon ki chaap sunti ho?
Woh jo yahan nahi aur wahan bhi nahi hain.
Suno!
Tum unhein kisi aur zamane mein sunti ho,
Jo hai na guzray kal ka,
Na aanay wale ka,
Jo hai to sirf abhi,
Haan abhi ka.
Mujhe suno!
Jaise koi barish ko sunta hai."
Uske hawas kuch bedaar huay to dard ka ehsas hua. Khoon se aadha chehra tar ho raha tha. Aankhein nahi khul rahi theen.
Qadmo ki aahat ke sath hi makhsoos dhun ki awaaz sa'at se takraayi. Labo ko gol kar ke woh jaane kab se gunguna raha tha.
"Yeh Hammad to nahi hai!" Karakht, bhaari awaaz.
"Gari mein yahi larka tha, sahab!"
Kisi ko ghunsa para tha.
"Mujhe maaf kar dein sahib, ghalti ho gayi! Bohat bari ghalti ho gayi." Tareek kothri mein koi aur bhi tha. Ghutno ke bal girta, kuch rota, girgirata hua. Awaaz pehchani hui si lagi. Us ne ek baar phir palkein jhapkayi. Ek baar phir dekhne ki sa'i ki. Manzar dhundhla tha.
Saans lete karwat badli. Haatho ko jumbish di. Dahine kandhe aur gardan se seene tak ka hissa dard ki lapait mein aa gaya. Usey gaari ka takraw yaad aaya. Firing ki awaaz phir se sunayi di, sheeshey ek baar phir toote the. Wajood mein kante mehsoos huay the.
"Sahab! Hammad Shirazi is gaari mein tha, mein yaqeen se keh raha hoon. Maine apni aankho se dekha." Awaaz ghut gayi. Gardan kisi ahini shikanje mein le li thi.
"Tumhein kuch andaza bhi hai tumhari is ghalti ne mere liye kitna bara masla khada kar diya hai?"
"Sahab! Maaf kar dijiye." Yeh doosri awaaz thi. Lab bheench kar us ne ek baar phir sar uthaya. Dhund lamhe bhar ke liye chhat gayi thi. Nidhhal aankho ne woh chehra dekha.
Agha Ali ka dast-e-raast Azam Shirazi ke khaas tareen aadmiyon mein se ek tha woh. Rota, girgirata, apni zindagi ki bheek maangta hua, pistol ki nok uski kanpati ke sath lagi thi.
Dhundli si yaadasht mein koi bhoola-bisra manzar tamam tar azeeton ke sath waazeh hua.
"Aap ki jeep kahan hai?" Us ne poocha tha.
"Kharaab hai, mechanic ko theek karne ke liye di hai. Kuch din lag jaayenge." Agha Ali keh raha tha.
Car accident se pehle, rawangi ke waqt doosri shahrah par us ne jeep dekhi thi. Jeep mein Hammad tha. Us ki gaari badli gayi thi. Usey bahifazat kahin pohchane ke liye us ki zindagi daav par lagayi gayi thi. Usey sadma hua, magar ghalat sadma hua. Us ki zindagi ahem nahi thi. Us ke sath aisa ho sakta tha. Us ne aik baar phir dard ki lehr ko dabate hue uthne ki koshish ki aur aik baar phir munh ke bal gira. Sar ka dard ek dum se barh gaya. Halq se karaah nikal gayi. Us shakhs ne murh kar peeche dekha. Woh Faris Wajdan ke ayn samne panjon ke bal baitha tha. Aankho mein ghussa tha, naqabi chehra aur tasurrat mutahammil se the. Pehle baalo se pakar kar us ka sar uthaya.
"Yeh kaun hai?" Woh ab usey baghor dekh raha tha. Faris ki peshani se khoon ki dhaar kaan se behti hui gardan tak aur us ki safed shirt ko mazeed rangti gayi.
"Sahab! Azam sahib ke mulazim ka bacha hai," aqb mein jhuke sar ke sath ka pati awaaz mein kaha tha.
"Mulazim ka beta?" Istifhamiyah nigaho se us ne Faris ka chehra, phir shirt ka collar, sweater, jeans aur joote dekhe.
"Mulaazimo ke betay kya is tarah branded kapray pehante hain?" Istihzai andaz mein kehte ab ke us ne Abdul ko dekha. Dahini haath se apnay pistol ki nok se sar khujaya.
Abdul ne ghabra kar Faris ko dekha phir girta padta naqabi ke samne jhuk gaya. Ab woh apni soch aur wahem ke mutabiq jo kuch us ke baare mein janta tha, bataata ja raha tha.
"Interesting!" Poori baat sun lenay ke baad woh usey chhor kar uth gaya. Abdul sar jhuka kar modab sa peeche ho kar apne qadmon par khada ho gaya.
"To tum mujhe yeh batana chahte ho ke yeh kisi Wajdan ka beta hai jo ke Azam Shirazi ka aadmi tha?"
"Ji sahab!"
"Kabhi mile ho usse?"
"Jee?" Chonk kar sar uthaya.
"Wajdan se mile ho kabhi? Tum kaafi arsay se kaam kar rahe ho. Azam Shirazi ke har aadmi ko tum se behtar aur kaun jaan sakta hai?"
Abdul ne kuch hakla kar usey dekha. Woh kisi Wajdan se kabhi nahi mila tha. Khushk honto ko tar karte us ki nigah Faris par gayi, jiss ki bojhal aankho mein shock aur sadma utra hua tha. Khauf aur wehsat thehri hui thi. Jaane un aankho mein kya tha ke woh lamhe bhar ke liye apni jagah theher sa gaya. Woh us ke sab se chhotay betay ka hum umr tha jissay bachane ke liye usey majbooran yeh sab karna pada tha.
"Ji ji sahib! Janta hoon usey."
"Theek hai, kaafi hai itna." Haath utha kar usey rok diya.
Abdul aik sehmi hui si nigah Faris par daalta kuch pareshaani se chup ho gaya.
Naqabi panjon ke bal baitha ab usey dekh raha tha. Us ki khojhti parakhti aankhon mein ajeeb sa tasurr tha. Woh usay jaanchte huay jaise us ki ahmiyat ka andaza lagane ki koshish kar raha tha. Woh us ki zaat mein Azam Shirazi ki koi kamzori dhoondhna chaah raha tha. Ek murda mulazim ka beta bhala unke kis kaam aa sakta tha? Woh is ke zariye kya paa sakte the? Aisa kaunsa dabaav tha jo woh Azam Shirazi par daal sakte the?
Khooni Rishta hota to alag baat thi magar woh to kuch bhi na tha. "To tumhare maalik ne tumhein humare aage daal diya taake woh apne pote ko bacha sake." Woh kaafi dair tak hansta raha. Uske gham, dukh, aur sadme par be-khabar ho kar hansta raha. "Woh mujhe hamesha hairan karta hai, magar is dafa na qabil-e-yaqeen!"
Ba mushkil se saans lete Faris ne lab bheench liye the. "To ab tumhara kya kare?" Chamkti, sulgti aankhein uske chehre par jam gayin. "Tum hi batao ladke, ab hum kya karein?" Uska andaaz istehzaai tha. "Ab to tumhara baap bhi zinda nahi hai jo tumhare bare sahib ke paon pakar kar minnat kare ke mere betay ko bacha lo." Koi shay uske dil ke aar paar hui thi. Koi purana zakhm phir se hara ho gaya tha.
"Bhai, aisa kuch ho jata to hamare waar jaate. Yeh jo humne itni mehnat ki hai, iske badlay bhari tawaan wasool karte. Kyun, theek keh raha hoon na main?" Gardan modh kar apne aadmiyo se tasdeeq chahi. Unhone kuch khafeef hokar sharmindagi se sir jhuka liye the. Jante the ke unke maalik ko paison ki to sere se koi kami hi nahi thi.
Apne kapkapate haatho ko bheench kar Faris ne khushk honto ko dabaya. Uski aankhein bilkul bhar chuki thi. Uske neem khule lab kapkapaa rahe the. Jism bejaan aur thanda parh raha tha. Magar woh poore hosh-o-hawas mein usey dekh raha tha, usey sun raha tha.
"Bhai aise nahi dekho mujhe. Taras aa gaya to ek goli se hi tumhara kaam tamaam kar dunga."
Uski siskiyan seene mein thi aur woh bawajood koshish ke bhi inhein daba nahi saka. "Arey tum ro rahe ho?" Woh qahqaha laga kar hans diya. "Tumhein lag raha tha, tumhara sahib agar tumhein itne mehnge school mein parhne bhejta hai, ya tumhein yeh mehnge kapray pehney ko deta hai to iska matlab hai ke tumhari parwaah karta hoga?"
Woh uske samne jam kar baith gaya. Chehre se naqabi bhi hata diya. Neem tareeki mein uske khudokhaal kuch mhehlay, kuch dhundhlay se the. Usay us maasoom ladke ki bewaqoofana soch par hansi aa rahi thi. Kitna bara sadma tha ek naukar ke liye ke maalik ne usey chaare ke tor par kisi ke aage daal diya taake woh khud se jurey rishton ko mehfooz rakh sake.
"Main tumhein ek pate ki baat batata hoon. Hum log aksar aisa karte hain. Khoob paisa lagate hain, ahmiyat dete hain, aitamaad jeet-te hain, aur phir jab waqt aa jaye to haath phaila kar, abro uthate chhutki bajate, "Apne fayday ke liye qurbaan kar dete hain. Jaise ke tum, kaafi invest kiya hoga unhon ne tumpar. Kyun ke agar gaari mein tum na hote, to Hammad ki jali hui laash milti usey."
Aakhri jumle mein uska lehja kaafi se zyada sard ho chuka tha. Uske andar bohot ghussa aur be inteha nafrat bhari hui thi. Koi purani mukhasmat thi, koi adaawat ya intezaam. Uska rawaiyya, uske iraade, uske tamam plannings yehi batlati thi. Woh apni nakaami par mushta'il ho raha tha. Bas nahi chal raha tha ke woh Azam Shirazi ke is naukar ladke ko abhi ke abhi jaan se maar daalay.
Usne apni pistol ki naali Faris ki peshani se nikaal di. Khayal tha ke woh jis khauf mein hai to apni zindagi ki bheek mangte hue royega, girgirayega. Magar usne lab bheench kar aankhein band kar ke, apna sar jhuka kar usey hairan kar diya. Woh ladka marne ke liye mukammal tayar baitha tha.
"Jaisa maalik hai, mulazim bhi waise hai." Gardan se daboch kar usne trigger par zara sa zor diya. Abdul ne kuch beqaraari se pehlu badal liya.
Kun kuch dair tak uski kanpati se lagi rahi, phir usne hata li. "Aise nahi, aur itni aasani se bhi nahi," bar-baraate hue uth gaya. Phir apne aadmi ki taraf muda, "Sher Dil se kaho, is ladke ko le jaye!"
Abdul ki peshaani paseene se tar ho chuki thi. Woh pusht par haath bandhe khada tha, magar haatho mein kapkapaahat waazeh ho rahi thi. Sher Dil kaun tha aur kya kaam karta tha, yeh haqeeqat us se chhupi hui nahi thi.
"Or haan!" ruk kar muda, "Usse kehna, laash hum Azam Shirazi ko hi bhejenge. Usse pata chalna chahiye, agar Hammad hamare saath aa jata to hum uska kya hashar karte." Yeh keh kar lambi lambi chaalain bharta woh bahar nikal gaya. Kothri ka darwaza band hua to tareeki har soo phail gayi. Farsh se, deewaron se Faris Wajdan ke andar tak aagayi.
Nam saakti aankhon mein veerani liye, woh matwaish sa apni jagah betha sa reh gaya tha. Bahar taala lagne ki awaaz ke saath, qadamo ki aapas mein mukhatib hone ki aawaaz sunayi di. Makhsus dhun ki woh aawaaz ab door hoti ja rahi thi. Ek aakhri saanp jaisi aawaaz neeche agayi thi. Naqab posh ne gehri saans li, koi ladhta hua zameen par dheeme se sarak gaya tha.
"Kitni dafa kaha hai, ghalti nahi honi chahiye, nahi honi chahiye, nahi honi chahiye, magar yeh samajhte nahi." Aahni gate zor se band karte, woh nazron se ojhal ho gaya.
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