Chapter 72: CHAPTER - 71

•••

Subah subah nashte se farigh ho kar Jannat bhaagti hui Shirazi Mansion pahuch gayi. Mudahat se maloom hua ke Faris to subah das baje ja chuka hai. Uske nanhe se dil ko sadma sa pohncha. Rondi soorat banaye doctor Mustafa ke paas gayi aur siskiya le le kar bataya ke us par kitna zulm ho gaya tha.

"Janna, woh aap se kal shaam ko mil kar to gaya tha," unho ne uske aansu ponchte, pyaar karte yaad dilaya. Woh uske is tarah emotional hone par heran thay.

"Kal shaam mila tha. Subah bhi to milna chahiye tha," uska surkh chehra aur bhari hui aankhein dekh kar woh muskurahat zabt karte naram pad gaye.

"Haan waqai bohot ghalat kiya hai usne. Mil kar jana chahiye tha usey."

"Allah Hafiz bhi bolna chahiye tha usko, haath bhi hilana chahiye tha."

"Bilkull!" Takid mein sar hilaya.

"Aap usko daate ge na?"

"Zaroor daatu ga, aise kaise kar sakta hai woh?"

Saleem ne apne sar par haath maara. Agar inki jaan ko chyoonti (ant) ke ghar se bhi koi masla milega to woh nikal layegi.

Woh aankhein ragarti apne dosto ke paas bahar chali gayi. Unko poori baat batayi. Uske tamam ke tamam best friends, Muni, Kaka, tipu, aur Shasha sab ka khayal tha, Faris ne bohot ghalat kiya tha. Subah savere mile baghair chala gaya. Dost bhala aise karte hai?

"Ab jab woh aaye ga to hum us se baat nahi karein ge." Tipu ne sab ko bari samajhdari se talqeen ki. Woh ab us bari ghani mooncho wale darawne uncle ke paas khare apni khufiya meeting kar rahe thw jo bagiche wale darwaze ki rakhwali karta tha.

"Uske sath bagh mein bhi nahi jayenge aur usko machhliya bhi nahi dikhaenge." Kaka ne nanha sa mukka bana kar fiza mein lehraya.

Jannat lab bhinche, aankhein ragad ragad kar saaf kar rahi thi. Darawne uncle ne jeeb se romal nikala.

Kar diya to bari nazakat se le liya. Darawne uncle ne kuch dair pehle unhain andar bhi jane diya tha. Darawne uncle bohot ache the, Gun ko kandhe se lagaye woh chowkidar kutta ya hua sa khara tha. Sabr ka imtihaan they yeh bache. Itni baate aur itne sawal karte the Allah ki panah! Faris kab gaya tha? Kaise gaya tha? Kis gaari mein gaya tha? Aur itni subah kyun gaya tha? Un se milne kyun nahi aaya tha?

Aur us ghunghrale surkh balon wale Tipu ne to had kar di. "Aap usko rok lete ke tumhare friends aayenge, un se mil kar jana. Aap ne usko kyun nahi roka?"

Darawne uncle ka dil chaha woh apna sar peet le. Pata nahi uske bare sahib ne is darwaze par uski duty kyun laga di thi? Na yahan koi khatra tha na yahan koi aata jaata tha. Maswaaye in bacho ke.

Kitna shauq tha usey ke woh Shirazi Mansion ke bairooni gate par rakhwali kare. Sard aah bhar ke phir is tolley ko dekha, jo apni dost ko dilasa dete ab wahan se ja rahe they.

Sukh bhari saans le kar reh gaya.

"Kaash! Uske sahib darwaza poora band kar dein to tension hi baqi na rahe." Usey nahi pata tha aisa hone wala tha. Aisa sach mein hone wala tha.

Agha Ali ko Islamabad gaye huay do din ho chuke they aur woh abhi tak wapas nahi aaya tha. Mudhat ke liye Agha Ali ka Shirazi Mansion se door rehna pareshani aur achambhe ka baais tha. Aisa pehle kabhi nahi hua tha ke woh is tarah ghair haazir rahe ho ya phone par apni khairiyat ki ittila na pohnchayi ho. Unki routine talaf thi, woh jaanti thi. Is baat ka bhi ilm tha ke Hammad Shirazi ki amad ke baad se hifazati iqdam mein izafa hua tha aur khatarat ke pesh-e-nazar Azam Shirazi ne unhein naye zimmedariya sounp di thi. Aisa pehle bhi kai martaba ho chuka tha magar ab ki baar jab unki taraf se koi khabar moosool na hui to use fikr hone lagi.

Usne Sadiq Khan se Agha Ali ke baare mein poocha. Khabar mili ke woh Islamabad mein tha. Khabar yeh bhi mili ke Azam Shirazi aaj shaam ki flight se wapas aa rahe the. Woh aik dum se heran hui. Azam Shirazi to chaar din pehle hi Germany rawana huay they aur ab is tarah unki achanak wapsi ne usey achambhe mein mubtala kar diya tha. Jaane kya maamla tha. Use ek dum se kisi unhoni ka ehsas hua. "Sab khairiyat hai?" Woh poochhe bina na reh saki.

Sadiq Khan ne mud kar usey dekha. Gaari mein kuch zaroori samaan rakha ja chuka tha. Apni bandook sambhalte huay usne sir hilaya.

"Haan, sab khair hai! Hum Agha Ali se rabta hone par tum ko bata dega." Keh kar gaari mein sawar ho gaya. Usne jeep ko baironi darwaze se bahar nikalte dekha, phir gehri saans le kar palat gayi.

•••

Woh deewar ke saharay be-hiss o harkat para tha. Lab baaham paiwast, aur aankhein saakht thi. Chehre par takleef deha tasuraat numaya ho rahe the, saans laine mein dushwari aa rahi thi.

Palkain jhapkate woh kisi qadr koshish se uth kar baith gaya tha. Tareeki mein apne aas paas zindagi ko khojne laga tha. Maut ki sargoshi mein, wahshat ke saaye the. Andhere the aur be inteha andhere the ke haath ko haath bhai nahi deta tha. Woh sakht betha tha. Faqat saanso ka zero bam tha aur dil ki dhadkan thi jo zindagi ka ehsas dilati thi. Dimagh ma'oof, soch jamid, dar sakht aziyat ka mujasma kar rahi thi. Woh saare chaudah saal ka tha. Is se pehle bhi usne bohot si wahshat bhari raate kaati thi.

Us waqt jab Haroon usey chhor kar gaya tha aur us waqt bhi jab usey hostel mein shift kar diya gaya tha. Haan! Aisi hi khauf bhari, wahshat naak raate kai baar zindagi mein aayi thi magar tab woh aankhein kholta tha to har aik shai ko dekhta tha, chand nazar aata tha, awaaze sunayi deti thi magar ab aisa kuch na tha. Use guman hua ke uski sama'at kaam nahi kar rahi, uski binai khatam ho chuki hai. Mutawashish ho kar uthne ki koshish ki magar uth na saka.

Hatho ko jambish di to awaaz halaq se na nikli. Neem khuli aankhe bheeg gayi.

Har zakham ki ek tees thi. Har dard ka ek musdar tha. Usey Haroon Shirazi aur Aarzoo Jahangir ka khayal aaya. Uski maa is waqt kisi mashhoor brand ke khubsurat kapro mein malboos ramp par jalwa afroz ho rahi hogi, ya kisi mas-hoor ba asar fashion magazine ke liye uska photoshoot ho raha hoga. Woh iski haalat se qatee be-khabar kisi interview mein haste muskurate apni kamiyabiyo ke gun gaa rahi hogi.

Uska baap America mein Shirazi Enterprises ki kisi branch mein Board of Directors ke sath meeting attend kar raha hoga, ya kisi five-star hotel mein kuch karobari shakhsiat ke sath uski deal ho rahi hogi. Be tahasha paisa, kamiyabi aur apni mazboot pehchaan uska maqsad ban chuki thi. Aur Jameela Daud apne bete Hammad ke sath khushiyo bhari sa'ato mein magan hongi.

"Is waqt apni zindagiyo mein masroof, iske khooni rishto mein se kisi ko bhi iska khayal nahi?"

Har manzar khud se banta tha aur tareek aankho mein sama jata tha. Har rishte ki apni ek kahani thi, aur is kahani mein iska naam-o-nishaan tak na tha. Ek ghair zaroori kirdar. Ek izafi bojh jise woh bohot pehle hi maar chuke they.

Na Haroon Shirazi ki zindagi ruki thi, na Aarzoo Jahangir ne palat kar khabar li thi. Woh unke liye to zinda tha hi nahi, to phir unhein khayal aata bhi to kis liye? Ehsas hota bhi to kyun? Yaad aati bhi to kis wajah se? Sirf paanch saal hi to guzare they usne. Sirf paanch saal hi to zinda raha tha woh unke liye. Sukoon, khushiyo bhare pal, umeed bhari baate, hasi aur muskurahat bhare lamhe mitne lage. Tareeki andar tak chhane lagi.

Usey Jameela Daud yaad aayi, Doctor Mustafa yaad aaye. Un bacho ka khayal aaya jo uske aage peeche phirte the, shor karte the, bohot zyada haste they. Bolte the, muskurate the. Usey Jannat se kiya hua apna wada yaad aaya.

"Phir hum park jayenge aur pahado par bhi chadhein ge. Aur wahan door tak jayenge." Uska chehra jazbaat ki hadd se surkh parhne laga. Uske saakht hatho par larza taari hua. Woh sikud gaya. Phir rone laga. Rote rote hichkiya bandh gayi. Usne woh tamam manzar dekhe, tamam rang, aur phool, sabza aur hariyali, unche pahad aur nadiya bhi dekhi. Usne tasawwur hi tasawwur mein har waadi chhan li. Har phool chun liya.

"Bohot saara ghar mein phirein ge. Muni, Kaka, mein aur Tipu. Aur tum... aur... aur Saleem. Hum Saleem ko nahi le kar jayege. Woh Baba se meri shikayate lagata hai."

"Thik hai." Uske lab hile.

"Hum Saleem ko nahi le kar nahi jayenge." Usne kaha aur kehte hue sar jhuka gaya. Woh in chaar dino mein ek baar bhi nahi roya tha, ab ro raha tha. Shiddat se ro raha tha. Awaaz laraz kar, deewaro se takra kar wapas uski taraf palat rahi thi. Usey bacho ke sath dosti nahi karni chahiye thi. Usey Jannat ke sath waqt nahi guzarna chahiye tha. Woh jab bhi khush hota hai, kuch na kuch ho jata hai. Khwab dekhta hai to khwab tut-ta hai. Umeed sochta hai to umeed kaat-ti hai. Yaqeenan yeh saza thi. Bohat bari saza thi. Hasne ki, muskurane ki saza thi.

Uski himmat, siqat aur hosla khatam ho raha tha. Woh aitmaad jo guzishta teen saalo mein bahal hua tha, woh rezah rezah ho kar bikhar raha tha. Bharosa, yaqeen, zindagi, muskurahat, khushiya...

woh har aik ehsas se ma'wa ho raha tha. Sirf gham they jo reh gaye, sirf dukh they jo thehar gaye. Usey ek dum se har shey se, har ek rishte se, har ek yaad se khauf aane laga. Har us awaaz se jo us sannatte mein uske aas paas goonj rahi thi. Har woh baat jo ab usey yaad aane lagi thi.

"Tum Aarzoo ke bete ho. Tumhari auqaat yeh thi ke tumhain kachre ke dhair par phaink diya jata."

Aur usey phaink diya gaya tha. Woh kam umar tha, asab ki mazbooti bhi bus ek had tak thi. Itna mazboot nahi tha ke bahaduri dikha sake ya koi umeed jaga sake. Baar baar kuch chehre aankho mein aa rahe the, chinghaarti awaaz thi, maut ka paighaam tha.

Uski reerh ki haddi mein sard laher doodi thi, jism ka room room kaanp utha tha. Andhera, aur maut. Maut andhere mein dhal gayi thi. Kothri qabar ban gayi thi. Dimagh sun hone laga. Rag-o-pay mein khauf sarayat kar chuka tha.

"Mujhe... mujhe nikalo yahan se!" Woh ek dum se mathos ho kar cheekha. Aur kaafi dair tak cheekhta raha. Awaaz raahdariyon se ho kar wapas palat aayi thi. Usey kisi ko pukarna chahiye, kisi ko awaaz deni chahiye. Kisi ki minnat karni chahiye. Kaun tha jo usey bacha sakta tha? Yahan se zinda salamat nikaal sakta tha?

Isi aziyat mein uska dimagh ek baar phir ghanoodgi mein chala gaya tha.

•••

"Faris ka phone number hai?"

Woh subah sehr sawere, school jane se pehle apne dosto ke sath is se yeh poochne aayi thi. Mudhat muskura kar reh gayi. School uniform aur do poniya ke sath nikhra nikhra sa chehra, bag aur doosre haath mein pani ki bottle thi. Aankho mein ishtiyaq tha.

"Nahi, uska koi phone number nahi hai." Panjo ke bal baith kar uski poniya durust ki. Mathe par barabar kiye baalo ko tarteeb se bakhera, qameez ka ooper wala button neeche wale button mein phansa hua tha. Andaaz se zahir tha ke jald bazi mein tayar ho kar woh yahan aayi thi taa ke Saleem ki nazro se bach sake aur deir bhi na ho. Iske sipahi dost bhi iske sath the. Tipu ne school se chhutti ki thi. Uske chaar doosre shehr se aaye the. Kaka bhi aaya tha. Aur aisa tha ke fresh fresh sa hasta muskurata bhaagta daudta uske kehne par chala aaya tha. Muni albata school ke liye tayar ho kar aayi thi. Jannat ki madad kar ke usne phir apne school jaana tha.

"Phir aap us se baat kaise karti hain?"

Mudhat kuch kehte kehte chup ho gayi.

"Mere Baba kehte hain weekend par us se milne jayege. Itne sare din baad weekend aayega."

Mudhat ko ehsaas hua ke woh bachi Faris ko miss kar rahi thi. Pichle do dino mein yeh uska teesra chakkar tha. Pehley din woh dopehar mein apna gussa thanda ho jane ke baad yeh confirm karne aayi thi ke aaya woh waqai chala gaya hai ya nahi? Usey lag raha tha ke Faris kamre mein kahin chhupa hua hai aur usse milna nahi chahta. Mudhat ne Faris ke kamre ka darwaza khol kar usey dikhaya ke woh yaha nahi hai.

"Wahan hoga," woh Shirazi Mansion ki taraf ishara kar rahi thi. Go ke mulazimeen ko wahan bila zarurat jane ki ijaazat nahi thi aur na hi baghair ijaazat koi sadar darwaza aboor kar sakta tha, magar chunke woh servants ki head Mudhat Agha thi. Uska haath thame apne saath le gayi. Ghuma phira kar poora ghar dikhaya ke tumhara dost Faris yahan bhi nahi hai.

Usay Mudhat par yaqeen nahi tha. Awaaz de kar usey bulaati rahi apni tasalli karti rahi, "Mujhe pata hai tum yahin ho, bahar aao."

Magar woh bahar nahi aaya tha.

Woh bojhal dil ke saath wapas chali gayi. Teesre din woh uska haal ahwaal poochhne aayi thi aur Mudhat gum sum usey dekh kar reh gayi. Jane kya baat thi is bachi ka Faris ke liye aisa rawaiya, aisi nigar, aisa intezaar Usey dukhi kar gaya. Aur aaj woh uss se Faris ka phone number maangne aayi thi. Faris hostel mein rehta hai, roz marra ki buniyad par usse koi baat nahi ho sakti. Yeh baate bhi Jann samajh nahi pa rahi thi.

Faris usey bata kar gaya tha ke woh garmiyo ki chuttiyo mein zarur aayega. Ab itne saare dino ke baad garmiyo ki chuttiya aati thi. Itna saara intezaar kaun kare?

In chand dino mein jitni drawings us ne banayi thi, woh usey dikhana chahti thi. Jo test achhe numbers se paas kiye they, woh test bhi. Uski class teacher ne gaal par star banaya tha, woh star bhi dikhana zaroori tha. Aur woh stickers jo haath ki pusht par lagey huey they, woh stickers bhi. Magar woh kya karti? Aur uss ne school ki canteen se do chocolates khareedi. Ek khali thi, doosri Faris ke liye rakh li. Shaam tak udaas ho kar woh bhi kha li. Phir is baat ka gham ke usey Faris ke liye rakh lena chahiye tha. Phir tasalli ke kal doosri le lena thi. Apna homework karke phir apne Nana ke paas pohanch gayi.

Weekend mein poorey chaar din baaqi thay.

"Kya hum waqai jaayenge?"

"Bilkul jaayenge," muskurate hue kaha. Woh bhi muskurai.

"Kyun na tum uske liye gift pack kar lo? Kuch drawings banao."

"Woh to maine banayi hain, abhi dikhati hoon." Bhaag kar gayi aur saare safey simet layi.

"Yeh ghar Faris ka hai. Yeh mera hai. Aur yeh wala aapka hai, Baba." Usey god mein bithaye woh uske banaye huey namooney dekhne lage. Usne drawing paper par Faris aur apne Nana ke ghar unke qad ke hisaab se bare bare, oonche liye banaye the. Apna ghar qadre chhota rakha tha. Woh khud bhi to chhoti thi.

"Arey alag alag ghar? Hum teeno ko to ek hi ghar kaafi tha."

Usne ruk kar lamha bhar ko kuch socha. "Nahi Baba! Alag alag theek hain. Itne bare bare. Humara samaan bhi to zyada hai. Aur Faris ki itni saari kitaabe hain. Ek hi ghar mein hogi to jagah tang ho jayegi." Apni soch o fahm se wazahat di.

"Lekin mujhe to alag ghar nahi chahiye." Baaho mein samet kar uska gaal chuma.

"Mujhe to apni Janna ke saath us ke ghar mein rehna hai." Aur un ko jannat ki koi fikr lag gayi.

"Aap mere ghar mein poore nahi aao ge." Wo has diye. Phir haste hi rahe. Main yeh Faris ko dugi. Goad se utar kar god se jude safhe diye.

"Yeh kya hai?" Kaghaz khol kar dekha. Wo bhi ghar tha. Har tasveer mein ghar tha, phool they, darakht they aur pahad tha. Parinde they aur nadi thi neele rang ki jiska paani pahaad se seedha ghar ke aage se guzarta tha. Aur nehar mein chand aik machhliyan thin. Safah ulat rahi thi. Kuch aur dhoond rahi thi. Aaj un ki muskurahat simat gayi. Aankho mein huzn aa gaya. Sar utha kar apni jannat ko dekha. Wo doosre ke stickers khareede the. Agar Faris asli billiyo se door bhagta hai toh sticker achi lagen gi. Wo apni dhun mein jaane aur Kya keh rahi thi, kya bata rahi thi magar wo chup chaap ghar haath mein liye use bas dekhte jaa rahe they.

"Aap Faris ko miss kar rahi hain?" Unho ne bohat narmi se poocha.

"Wo mera dost hai, dosto ko miss karte hain Baba." Samjhaya. Wo lajawab huay.

"Hum roz milne nahi ja sakte?" Saare safhe samet kar table par rakhe, apni gardan tak kiye aur hair Band se nikalte balo ko kaan ke peeche kar ke poocha. Ek mahina pachees din Faris yahan guzaar kar gaya tha. Wo har roz use dekhti thi, har roz us se milne jaati thi. Us ki ghair maujoodgi mein us par asar para tha. Wo bohat udaas ho rahi thi.

Unhone sar par hath pherte huay narmi se samjhaya. "Nahi, hum sirf aik baar jaa sakte hain. Bas yeh chaar din to reh gaye hain." Unhone sar par haath...

Us ke liye yeh chaar din "bas chaar din nahi they" magar Nana yeh baat nahi samajh sakte thay. Wo goad mein charh kar apna test dikhane lagi. Us ki class ke qisse, aur doston ki bate thi. Aur wo suntay huay us ka poora saath de rahe the. Hairan kun baat par hairan ho rahe the jo baat jannat ke liye mazakiya Thi, us par has rahe the.

Lamho mein saare din ki thakan utar gayi. Jannat un ka sukoon thi. Wo us ki maujoodgi mein har pareshani mubarraa ho jate.

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