Chapter 74: CHAPTER - 73

کِسٹ نمبر - 15

Dr. Mustafa phati phati aankho se Mudhat ko dekh rahe the. Sama'at par yaqeen nahi aaya tha. Shock aur sadme ki kefiyat mein unhone be-ikhtiyar deewar ka sahara liya tha. Do roz pehle wo Faris ki call ke baare mein poochhne aaye the magar Mudhat ko is hawale se kuch ilm nahi tha. Phir wo uske hostel gaye the. Wapsi par Agha Ali se raabta karne ki koshish ki thi. Azam Shirazi se bhi baat karni chahi thi magar wo kamiyab nahi ho sake the, aur ab poore teen din baad Mudhat unhein ek andohnaak khabar se agah kar rahi thi. Wo unhein Faris Wajdan ki wafat ke baare mein bata rahi thi. Haadsa chand roz pehle pesh aaya tha. Faris ko do goliya lagi thi. Hospital pohanchne tak wo dam tor gaya tha.

Woh gung ho gaye the? Kuch der tak kuch keh bhi nahi sake the.

"Aisa kaise ho sakta tha?"

Be-ikhtiyar deewar ka sahara lete aage badhe the. Taange wazan uthane se qaasir hui to seedhiyo par baith gaye. Unki nam aankho mein sadma aur beyaqeeni thi.

"Yeh kya ho gaya tha? Kaise ho gaya tha?"

Abhi hafta pehle wo unse mil kar gaya tha. Weekend par milne ka program tay kiya gaya tha. Wo bohot khush tha. Wo Na se Jannat ki baat kar raha tha. Wo chuttiyo mein Shirazi Mansion aane wala tha.

Ab achanak yehKya hua tha? Wo itne sabr aur himmat wala bacha, pichle kayi museebaton, kayi aazmaishon se ulajhta hua, unka pyaara dost... unka pyaara sa Faris. Uske sath kya ho gaya tha? Unhone apna sar hatheliyo mein gira liya. Kayi lamhe, baate, aur waade unhein yaad aane lage.

"Dekhna, ek din saare maslay hal ho jaayenge." Unhone khud ko kehte suna tha. "Zindagi theek ho jaayegi, haalaat theek ho jaayenge!" Wo keh rahe the, wo khud ko sun rahe the.

Mudhat saamne khadi thi. Wo kuch aur keh rahi thi, kuch aur bata rahi thi. Unka dil gham se phatne laga. Unka chehra aansuo se tar hone laga. Unki taange bejaan thi. Unka wujood sun ho raha tha.

"Kaise theek hoga sab?" Wo unke saamne, unki aankho mein aankhe daale khada tha. Jante the ishara kisi taraf tha. Uske dada, walid aur maa.. wo in rishto se mehroom tha, apni shanakht se mehroom tha, apne haq se apni pehchan se mehroom tha. Woh lajawab the. La jawab rahe.

Hawa chhoo se sarsara kar guzri, aasman ki tareeki mein kuch aur izafa hua, badalo ki ot me chaand madham ho gaya.

Unhone uske sar par haath phera tha. "Tum bas apni padhai par focus karo... khoob mehnat karo aur aage badh jao. Main chahta hoon tum apni zindagi mein bohot kaamyab raho."

"Jaise Azam Shirazi hai?" Usne unki baat kaati thi. Wo chup ho gaye the. Ab Faris Wajdan ko dekh rahe the. Wo saare terah saal ka ladka playground mein nashist par unke paas baitha tha aur uski aankho ki sakhti unke andar bohot se andeshe jaga rahi thi.

"Tumhe kisi ke jaisa nahi banna, tumhe sirf wahi banna hai jo tum ho."

"Main unke saath bohot bura karunga, main unse sab chheen lunga. Bilkul akela reh jayege woh, aap dekhna!"

"Faris!" ek dam se use kandho se pakad kar pukara tha. Kuch gusse se, sakhti se, khauf aur dehshat se. Unhein nahi pata tha ke woh aise baate kyun karta tha. Woh Azam Shirazi ke khilaf unke saamne itna kyun bolta tha. Woh nahi jaante the ke Azam Shirazi usse milne aate the, aur har mulaqat ke baad woh aise ho jata tha.

"Sabar aur bardasht ke liye sirf main hi reh gaya hoon?" Mudhat aansu ponchte, bharrayi hui awaaz mein hadse ki tamam tafseelat unke goosh guzar kar rahi thi. "Car accident ke baad woh agwa hua tha. Paanch din tak agwa raha tha. Phir usne faraar ki koshish ki thi aur..."

Agha Ali qadray faasle par sar jhukaaye rukh badal gaya tha.

Woh uth gaye the. Shikast khurda se qadam uthate aqbi darwaze se bagh ka rukh kar chuke the.

Mudhat ne unheine rokna chaha tha magar Agha Ali ne mana kar diya tha. Woh neem andhere mein chalte chalte achanak ruk gaye the. Woh us darakht ke saamne the jiss par Faris ghusse se lakeerein kheencha karta tha, phool tod kar nochta, khsot kar phenka karta tha. Woh ghutnon ke bal jhuk gaye. Zabt mukammal khatam ho gaya aur woh sisak paray.

"Ek wada mujhse bhi karo!"

"Aapke wade bohot mushkil hote hain." Woh bigre tewaro ke saath khidki mein ek tang bahar aur ek andar kaise kaafi gusse mein baitha tha. Apne se badi umr ke ladko se ulajh baitha tha jiske nishan gaal aur honto par nazar aa rahe the.

"Wada karo ke na khud ko nuqsan pahunchao ge aur na kisi aur ko"

"chahe agla insaan mujhe jaan se maar daale?" Gusse se poocha tha.

Aur woh phoot phoot kar ro diye. Unhein nahi pata tha ke guzishta paanch din jni usne kis aziyat mein guzare the. Tanha, akela, jaane us par kya beeti hogi.

Woh pehle se bohot dukhi tha, na-umeed aur mayoos tha, pareshaan tha, apni zindagi se na-khush tha. In sab se guzarne ke baad woh kaise raha hoga.

Unhein uski aakhri call yaad aayi. Madad ke liye usne unhein hi pukara tha. Aur woh uske liye kuch bhi nahi kar sake the. Kuch bhi nahi...

"Faris ko chot lagi hai Baba, woh bohot ro raha tha." Jannat guzishta teen dino se unka sar kha rahi thi. Baar baar ek hi baat...

Unhone mitti haatho mein bhar li thi.

"Usse do goliya lagi. Uska khoon beh gaya. Hospital pohanchne tak uski death ho gayi." Mudhat ke alfaaz unka dil cheer rahe the.

"Dekhna, sab theek ho jaayega," woh kaha karte the. Baar baar kaha karte the. "Tumhe bohot khushiya milengi. Inaam milega, kaamyabi milegi. Aur jinhone tumhein chhorh diya hai, woh ek din tumhare paas aayenge. Tumhein dhoondhte hue, tumhe chahte hue." Unka sar jhuk gaya tha. Unki aziyat badh gayi thi.

Woh saari baate, umeede, khwaab, dilasa aur tasalliya yahin ruk gayi thi, aur woh kuch bhi liye baghair chala gaya tha. Usne waqt ka intezaar nahi kiya tha. Zindagi ne aisi koi mohlat bhi nahi di thi. Us raat unhein ghar pohanchte kaafi waqt lag gaya tha. Jannat unke intezaar mein zabardasti jagti phir rahi thi. Usse toh yeh jaan'na tha ke Faris ko jo chot lagi thi, aur jiski wajah se woh phone par ro raha tha, woh chot theek. Hui ya nahi? Us ka dard khatam hua ya nahi? Apne Baba ko ghar mein daakhil hota dekh kar woh sarpat bhaagi thi. Khayal tha ke uska dost Faris bhi sath hoga magar woh akelay the. Nidhaal se sofe par baith gaye the. Unka chehra aur aankhein surkh thi. Woh ek dum se bohot kamzor aur dukhi nazar aa rahe thay. Woh unke paas aa gayi thi, kuch pareshan ho kar unhein pukarne lagi thi aur jaise uski aadat thi, apne dono haath ghutno par rakhe, gardan mor kar jhukate hue unhein dekhne lagi thi ke

Baba ko kya hua?

"Faris theek hai na Baba?"

Woh aankho mein aansu liye, siskian dabaye, lab bheenchay use dekhte rahe. Phir kisi qadar koshish se sar hilaaya.

"Woh ab ro toh nahi raha tha?" Usne poocha. Fikar mandi se, pareshani se, badoon ke jaise andaz aur samajhdari mein.

Woh apni beti ko dekh kar reh gaye. Woh itni uske sath attach kaise ho gayi thi? Jab se Shirazi Mansion se gaya tha, tab se woh uske liye bechain aur fikar mand ho rahi thi. Woh use talash karti rahi thi. Hostel jane par uksati rahi thi. Shirazi Mansion mein khat pohchati rahi thi. Aisa bartao usne pehle kabhi nahi kiya tha. Aisi fikar usne pehle kabhi kisi ke liye nahi dikhayi thi. Unhone nafi mein sir ko jambish di ke "haan! Uska dost Faris ab ro nahi raha tha." Phir Saleem ko ishara kiya ke woh use le jaye. Mazeed koi bhi sawaal sunne ki unmein himmat nahi thi.

"Doctor sahab! Sab theek hai? Khair toh hai?" Bua poochne lagi thi. Saleem pareshan ho kar dekh raha tha.

Jannat unka ghutna hila rahi thi. Woh apni baat kar rahi thi.

"Ham usey ghar le aayein Baba? Usko chot lagi hai. Woh theek ho jayega toh phir ham usay school chhod aayege."

"Saleem!" Unki awaaz bharayi toh woh Jannat ka bazu pakad kar, kheenchte hue seedhiyon ki taraf le jane laga. Doctor Mustafa ne apna sar hathailiyon par gira liya tha. Unka daayen haath besakhta dil par aa tha. Faris Wajdan ki maut ki khabar unke liye bhi kisi sadme se kam nahi thi.

•••

Poore teen saal baad Jamila Daud America se wapas Pakistan aa gayi thi. Shaadi attend karne ke baad kuch azeez wa aqarib ki dawato se farigh ho kar unhone Quetta jane ka faisla kar liya tha. Uske liye unhein sirf aur sirf Azam Shirazi ki ijazat darkaar thi magar woh dekh rahi thi ke Azam Shirazi pehle ki tarah baat nahi kar rahe the. Woh apne karobari mamlaat mein is qadar masroof the ke ghar bhi dair se aane lage thay. Unhein unke rawaiye aur routine ka yeh badlao ajeeb sa laga tha, ke woh hamesha apni family ko foqiyat deti the. Khaas tor par Hammad jab bhi chhuttiyon mein Pakistan aata tha toh woh zyada se zyada waqt uske sath guzarte the.

Shirazi House mein guzare gaye in chand dino mein unhone Hammad Shirazi ke rawaiye mein khaatir khwaah tabdeeli mehsoos ki thi. Dono dada-pota ke darmiyan khane ki maiz par ab koi baat nahi hoti thi. Jaisi dono ki misaali dosti aur mohabbat thi, is lehaaz se yeh pur-asraar khamoshi unhein be tarha se khatki thi.

Hammad bohot khamosh, kuch had tak akhda hua sa, aur baat baat par mulaazimon par mushtail hone laga tha. Kamre se kam nikalta tha aur Azam Shirazi ko toh jaise apne masroof schedule se fursat hi nahi thi. Woh hairan hui thi ke aisa khala unke maabain kaise aa gaya tha?

Unhone Alizey se poocha toh woh bas kandhe uchka kar reh gayi. Lekin usne yeh zarur bata diya ke Azam Shirazi ne ek baar Hammad ko study mein bula kar daata tha. Awaaz bahar tak aa rahi thi, taham masla kya tha, woh Nahi samajh paayi thi.

Kuch toh hua tha yaqeenan, Jamila ko kuch khatak gaya tha.

Unki chhati hiss bata rahi thi ke koi masla tha. Us raat khane ke baad woh Hammad ke kamre mein gayi aur paas baith kar uske rawaiye ke baare mein poocha. Woh jaan'na chahti thi ke unke bete se aisi kaunsi ghalti hui thi jiski wajah se uske bepanah pyar karne wale dada usse avoid kar rahe the? Hammad jo guzashta do hafto se apne dada ki thandi aur beparwahi ko jhel raha tha, apne jazbaat par qaboo nahi rakh saka. Ghusse se sab kuch bata diya.

Pehle toh woh kuch samajh hi na payi ke markaz schedule, hifazati iqdamat aur khatrey ki baat ho rahi thi. Azam Shirazi ki khaas gaariyo mein safar karne ke bajaye woh kyun ek aam si jeep mein Islamabad aa raha tha? Aisa kaunsa khatra tha jo darpesh tha? Aisi kaunsi planning thi jo tarteeb di gayi thi? Woh aankho mein fikrmandi ka asar liye apne satrah saal ke bete ko dekhti ja rahi thi. Jisey gham tha aur bepanah ghussa tha. Uske dada ek chhoti si ghalti par barham ho gaye the. Ek mulazim ladke ki wajah se baat nahi kar rahe the. Uski mazrat qabool nahi kar rahe the. Unhe lagta tha ke uski wajah se us ladke ki zindagi khatrey mein aa gayi thi. Halanki usne toh jaan bujh kar kuch nahi kiya tha.

Jamila us ladke ke liye Hammad ki aankho mein ghussa aur lehje se nafrat jhalakti hui dekh sakti thi.

"Maine Agha Ali se sirf itna kaha ke woh usse Baba ki gaari mein hostel drop kar dein. And believe me, Mummy, I didn't know ke yeh sab hoga."

Jamila Daud ke sar par jaise pahaad toot kar gira. Shirazi Mansion se hostel mein sirf ek hi ladka jata tha. Shirazi khandan ki kafalat mein sirf ek hi ladka hota tha. Woh ek dam se apni jagah se uth khadi hui thi. Taasuraat badal gaye the, rang ud gaya tha. Unhein ab samajh mein aaya tha ke Hammad kis ladke ki baat kar raha tha. Hammad ne kuch hairat se apni maa ko dekha tha. Usse bhi jaise ab ehsaas hua tha ke woh ladka uski maa ke liye kitna important raha tha. Bohat si baate ghusse aur jazbaat mein nazarandaz ho gayi jati thi. Uske sath bhi yahi hua tha.

Woh ma'oof hoti soch ke sath Hammad ke kamre se bahar aa gayi.

Woh har tarah ke wahmo aur khayalat ko jhatakti, jaldi mein qadam uthati, darwaza dhakel kar Azam Shirazi ki study mein daakhil hui thi. Aankho mein fikrmandi thi, chehre par ghabrahat ke asar thay. Hammad ke liye woh chhoti si baat nhi, ek shikwa thi jo usne apne dada ke ravaiye par ki thi. Anjaane mein woh us waqey ka tazkara kar gaya tha. Kuch ghusse aur jazbaat mein woh sab bata gaya tha. Hamla us par hona tha, kisi aur par ho gaya tha. Target woh tha, aur qabze mein koi aur aa gaya tha. Aur Azam Shirazi ne is baat par usey bohot bura daanta tha.

Azam Shirazi unke taasuraat dekh kar apni jagah ruk gaye.

"Faris kahan hai Baba? Kaisa hai woh? Kya hua hai Faris ke sath?" Ek hi saans mein kuch fikrmandi aur wehsat se unhone sawaal kar daale. Azam Shirazi apni jagah khade reh gaye.

Jis baat ko woh posheeda rakhna chahte the, woh ab posheeda nahi rahi thi. Tawaqqo thi ke Hammad apni ghalti ka zikar is tarah apni maa se karega ke aisi bohot si baatein aur bohot se maamlaat the jo woh dono apni zaat tak mehfooz rakhte the. Woh Hammad ke sath doston ki tarah rehte the. Uski bohot si ghaltiyon Par parda rakhte the. Bohat si kotahiyon par parda daalte the.

"BABA, FARIS... FARIS KAHAN HAI, MUJHE BATAEIN KAHAN HAI WOH?" Woh ek dum se cheekhi thi. Unka sukoon mit chuka tha. Faris ikhwa hua tha, is khayal se unki jaan nikal rahi thi. Woh zinda tha ya nahi, is sawal se jo unhein sataye ja raha tha.

"JAMILA!" Unhone sakhti se naam le kar usay bazu se pakar kar roka tha. Woh aankhon mein dard ki nami liye khadi reh gayi thi.

"Baba! Please bataein Faris kahan hai? Kya hua hai uske saath?" Unhon ne rote hue poocha tha.

"He is fine!" Woh mahez itna hi keh sake the. Baat mukhtasir kar ke khatam karna chahte the. Jo kuch bhi hua tha, Hammad ki ghalti se hua tha. Bohat achanak, aur baghair kisi maqsad ke hua tha. Woh Jamila Daud ko ek baar phir se Faris Wajdan ke har maamle se door rakhna chahte the, magar Jamila Daud ne unhe aisa karne nahi diya tha.

"Mujhe Faris ke paas jana hai. abhi ke abhi, isi waqt" Rote hue haath jor kar minnat ki. "Please Baba!"

Unki beqaraari aur betaabi, unki tarap, unka khauf aur dehshat! Woh apna lehja is pal sakht nahi kar sake the. Koi hukm nahi chala sake the. Unka mutalba bhi rad nahi kar sake the. Azam Shirazi pehli baar Jamila Daud ko inkaar nahi kar sake the.

•••

Nanhi Jannat samajhne se qaasir thi. Nana chup chup se kyun the, khana kyun nahi kha rahe the, baat kyun nahi kar rahe the. Clinic par kyun nahi jate the. Ab toh woh uska homework bhi nahi dekhte the.

School ke qissay bhi nahi sun rahe the aur usay Faris ke baare mein bhi kuch nahi bata rahe the. Woh bohat udaas ho rahi thi. Usi udaasi mein woh kitni hi der tak kursi rakh kar phone ke paas baithi rahi thi. Use lag raha tha ke Faris dobara phone karega. Woh roz uske phone ka intezaar karti thi. Saleem gehri saans leta, ta'asuf se usey dekh kar reh gaya tha. Zabardasti wahan se hata diya.

"Agar woh phone karega toh main tumhein bata dunga."

"Tum phone uthao ge toh Faris tumse baat nahi karega. Use tum bilkul ache nahi lagte." Usne nihayat sanjeedgi se jawab diya.

Saleem ne ek gehri saans lekar usey dekha.

Usey bazu se pakar kar uske kamre mein le gaya. Khilono ka dher uske samne rakhta gaya taake woh kahin masroof ho. Uska zehan bhatke. Aur koi kaam nahi tha jo woh uske zimma lagata. Chalaki itni thi ke apna homework bhi school mein kar ke aati thi, taake ghar mein aasani se uchhal kud ki ja sake.

"Main Faris ke liye drawing banati hoon. Jab hum usse milne jaenge na toh doongi." Woh keh rahi thi. Saleem ne sar pakar liya. Uski har baat Faris se shuru ho kar Faris par hi khatam ho rahi thi. Woh apni drawing book utha layi. Kuch rang apne paas rakhe, kuch Saleem ko diye taake woh bore na ho. Maze se rango se khelte woh usay bhi guide kar rahi thi. Aur bata rahi thi ke usne darakht ki shaakhe kitni chhoti banayi hain. Rang kitna bura kiya hai. Aur isse zyada achi drawing toh ka kaka chhota bhai banata tha. Kaka ka chhota bhai taqreeban teen saal ka tha.

Saleem chup raha. Woh uska saath toh de raha tha magar andar se bohat dukhi ho raha tha. Jis ke liye woh yeh saari cheezein tayar kar rahi thi, us tak un mein se kuch bhi pohnchne wala nahi tha.

"Doctor sahab aakhir se bata kyun nahi dete?" Usne socha aur soch kar khud ko kosa. Pe dar pe kai sadmon se guzarne wali apni is masoom nawasi ko woh aisi koi baat kaise bata sakte the? Ek pareshaan nazar usne Jannat par daali aur sar jhuka gaya.

Jannat ne khubsurat rango ke milaap se manzar kashi ki aur uspe bara sa "Get Well Soon" likha. Kuch phool lawn se tore aur kuch bagh se, aur dopeher mein Shirazi Mansion chali gayi.

"Yeh Faris ke liye hai. Aapne usay mera khat diya tha na? Ap yeh usey de dena, baba abhi bahut busy hai toh hum usse baad mein milne jayenge." usne kaha.

"Muddat abhi bohot badi hai, Aankhon mein nami liye Madihat usey dekh kar hans di. Phir usne woh page le liya, saath mein phool bhi. Yeh sab Faris ke liye tha. Usey pata nahi kyun yaqeen tha ke yeh cheezen Faris tak pohncha di jayengi.

Uska khat bhi. Aur chocolate bhi.

"Faris ne mujhe call ki thi. Woh dobara bhi karega na?"

Mudhat ne khamoshi se sir hila diya. Uske nana ne usey kuch nahi bataya tha toh woh bhi nahi bata saki thi. Wahan se phir woh apne dosto ke paas gayi. Ghar ke aeen samne bagh ke beech mein kahin unke saath khelti rahi. Kaka ne nayi cycle li thi. Purani wali jo chori ho gayi thi, ab sab bari bari uspar sawar kar rahe the.

Jannat ki apni cycle thi. Woh zor zor se pedal maarti dayen se bayein ghoom rahi thi. Moni uske peeche bhaag rahi thi. Unki hansiyo ki ghoonj chaaron taraf phail rahi thi. Saleem ne yeh manzar door se dekha aur sukoon bhari saans li ke chalo shukar hai, Jannat ka zehan bhatka. Shaam mein kuch samaan le kar ghar aaya toh darwaze se ruk gaya. Woh phone ke paas kursi par chadhi baithi thi.

Saleem ne usey dekha aur chup raha. Usne ghusse se mooh pher liya. Buwa se daant padi thi ke phone ke paas se jo nahi hat rahi thi. Ab woh ek baar phir uske samne tha.

"Tum yahan kya kar rahi ho?"

"Dekh nahi rahe? Baithi hoon," usne bhainvay chadhaa kar jawab diya. "Meri toh yeh bilkul nahi sun rahi," Buwa ne alag shikayat lagayi.

Khaane ki mez par bhi woh apne nana se yahi poochhti rahi ke woh Faris se kab milne jaane wale the. Uske nana chup rahe. Thoda muskurakar koi aur sawal karte, usey kisi aur baat mein uljhaane lage the.

❏❏❏