Chapter 79: ּ ֶָ֢.CH78

'''

Agle din wo usey apne sath school le kar bhi gaya. Class president ne usey poore school ka tour bhi karwa diya. Classes ki tafseelaat se bhi aagah kar diya gaya. Kitabe, uniform, semester ka schedule sab bata diya gaya. Haider uski aasani ke liye aaya tha. Naye mahol mein, naye school mein, naye jagah par adjust hone tak wo uske paas hi rehna chahta tha. Use yehi hukum mila tha. Magar Faris Wajdan ne school jane se inkaar kar diya. Uski dilchaspi har aik cheez se khatam ho chuki thi. Uske andar jeene aur aage barhne ki khwahish khatam ho gayi thi. Wo aik hi maqam par munjamid ho gaya tha, waqt ke daire mein reh kar kahi saakin ho gaya tha.

Wo ab pehle jaisa nahi ho sakta tha. Pehle ki tarah zinda nahi ho sakta tha. Use ab koi baat mutaharrik nahi karti thi. Ab koi khwab use mashgul nahi karta tha. Ab koi khwahish, koi umang bhi nahi rahi thi.

Use apna aap kisi nashe mein qaid hota hua mehsoos hota tha.

Haider chahta tha wo school jaye. Usne har mumkin koshish bhi ki. Use samjhata bhi raha, magar Faris kisi surat uski baat man'ne ko taiyar na tha. Wo kuch din ke liye chala jata, phir aa jata, dobara baith kar samjhata. Uske zimme ek kaam tha, use wo kaam har surat poora karna tha.

"Aap ko apni taleem hasil karni chahiye, aage badna chahiye." Us din bhi wo milne aya to samjhane laga.

Rahim sofa par neem daraz chips khate hue unhein hi dekhta ja raha tha. "Jab usne apni zindagi barbaad karne ka faisla kar hi liya hai, to tum usey kyun force kar rahe ho?"

Straw munh mein daba kar ek lamba ghoont bhara. Haider hamesha hi uske taang arane par zich hota tha. Ek to usey Faris ko zehni tor par tayyar karna nahi aa raha tha, doosra jo zehn saazi wo taleem ke fawaid ginwa kar karta tha, use Rahim fana kar deta tha.

"Padhai wadhai mein kuch nahi rakha. Gunde ban jao, bara scope hai."

"RAHIM!" Haider ne ghoor kar use mutanabbeh kiya tha.

"Kya?" Baazu phela kar hairani ka izhar kiya.

"Apna munh band rakho aur mujhe baat karne do."

"Pichle do hafto se tum baat hi kar rahe ho, koi hal nikla?"

Haider daant pees kar reh gaya.

"Jab wo school nahi jana chahta to tum usey kyun force kar rahe ho?"

"Tum hamare darmiyan mat aao."

"Main kahan aa raha hoon? Dekho main to yahan baitha hua hoon." Usne lounge se haank lagayi. Wo dono dining table par baithe the.

Haider ko ehsaas ho. Usey Fars ko khanay ke liye kisi alag kamre ka intekhab karna chahiye.

Jahan Rahim ki koi ma alfat na ho, agar aisa ho nahi sakta tha.

Abhi baat ho rahi thi ke ghanti bajne lagi.

"Is waqt kaun aa gaya?" Rahim jazbaaz hota ka joon ki tarah sofa se uth kar darwaze par gaya. Us ne chhoti si khidki slide kar di. Samne James aur William khare the.

"Hum totey se milne aaye hain."

"Tota so raha hai." Us ne slide khat se band kar di.

Dobara bell baji to usne slide dobara kholi.

"Agar mein qatal koi police force mein shamil kar doon aur usey tamam qatal case investigate karte dikhau to..?" danista ruk kar fatahana muskrahat dikhai ke ab to anokha idea mil hi gaya.

"Tum abhi bhooto par kaam karo. Is par baad mein aata."

"Oh bhooto se yaad aaya. Mister Will Smith ka ghar haunted hai kya?"

"Nahi."

"Lekin mujhe aisa kyun laga?"

"Tumhare dimaagh mein koi khalal hoga." Burbura kar slide band ki aur us se pehle dobara bell bajayi jati Us ne slide khol kar sar aage kiya.

"Listen Mister, William!"  foran se toka gaya.

"Main is waqt bohot masroof hoon. Bohot zyada. Mere paas tumhare kisi sawaal ka koi jawab nahi hai."

Aqab mein Haider ne jhat se darwaza khol kar use bahar dhakel diya.

"Nahi yeh bilkul masroof nahi hai. Isey le jao"

"tata, bye bye!" Is se pehle ke woh seedha hota aur sidhiyo par tawazun sambhalta, darwaza zor se band ho gaya.

"HAIDER!" woh darwaza bajate hue chillaya. Slide se us ke joote bahar phaink diye gaye.

"Kya hai yaar, darwaza kholo?"

magar Haider behad sanjeedgi se Faris Wajdan ke samne ja baitha. Usey laga ab woh bahut sukoon se baat kar sakta hai, Usey samjha sakta hai.

Bahar Rahim ne gardan mod kar James aur William ko dekha. Us ki aisi izzat afzaai par unhein hasi aayi thi magar woh sanjeeda sa chehra banaye khare the, jaise unhone toh usey bahar nikalte dekha hi nahi tha.

••••

Pakistan se aaye hue jameela Dawood ko poore chaar mah ho chuke the aur is dauran woh aik lamhe ke liye khud ko Faris ke maamlay se ghaafil nahi kar saki thi. Un ka dil har aik shay se uchaat ho chuka tha. Woh apne studio mein ab nahi jati thi. Paintings adhoori thi, kaam na mukammal. Dil wahemo mein dooba rehta tha. Aankhe fikarmandi se num hone lagti thi. Faris unhein buhat yaad aata tha, unhein us ki buhat fikar rehti thi.

Jab woh surat e haal ka jaaiza letein toh unhein apna aap mujrim lagta tha. Woh Pakistan mein thi toh unhein stand lena chahiye tha. Jaise dhamki di thi toh us par qaayam bhi rehna chahiye tha. Unhein Faris ko chhod kar nahi aana chahiye tha. Unhein apna wada nibhana chahiye tha.

Jaane ab woh kaisa hoga, kis haal mein hoga. Azam Shirazi ne ab ke us ke saath kya kiya hoga. Kisi aur shehar mein bhej diya hoga ya phir abhi bhi woh Islamabad mein hoga?

Woh raat der tak jagti rehti thi. Rahdaari mein tehalte hue bahar lawn mein pohanch jati thi. Taareek raat ke daaman mein kitni hi dair tak pachtawo mein ghiri rehti thi. Woh be bas thi. Woh us ke liye kuch bhi nahi kar sakti thi. Yeh ehsaas un ke dil par bhaari padta tha.

Unhein Manhattan Beach par apne aali shan ghar mein aik perfect wife, aik perfect maa ke roop mein rehna hota tha. Woh apni zimmedariyo se ghaafil nahi thi magar zameer ka bojh aur haalaat ki be-basi ne unhein ajeeb dorhane par la khara kiya tha, wahan jahan sirf dukh, aziyat aur pachtawo ke siwa kuch nahi reh gaya tha.

Din ba din un ki sehat girti ja rahi thi. Soch aur khayalat me jazbaat ki bhatti mein dhakel diya tha. Doctor Mustafa se un ka rabta nahi ho saka tha, Faris Wajdan se bhi nahi ho saka tha. Woh ab kahan tha, koi khabar nahi thi. Sukoon khatam, be-qarari aik aik mein sama chuki thi. Woh bemaar ho kar bistar se lag gayi thi.

Is dafa Azam Shirazi America aaye toh un ki haalat dekh kar dang reh gaye. Woh barso ki bemaar lag rahi thin.

"Yeh kya haalat kar li hai tum ne apni?" Woh bed par neem daraaz thi aur woh un ke paas kursi par baithe thay. Bahu thi, betiyo jaisi thi. Us ki aisi haalat dekhi nahi gayi. Woh chup hi rahi thin. Koi shikwa aur shikayat nahi ki thi. Koi hawala nahi diya tha. Koi mutalba nahi kiya tha. Woh patthar thi, un ka dil mom nahi ho sakta tha. Un ki khwahish na mumkin hi thi.

Woh kuch dair tak baithe rahe the. Shaam mein dobara bhi aaye. Bedside table par aik safhe par kuch likh kar rakh diya. Chale gaye toh unhon ne utha kar dekha.

Begonia House ka mukammal address likha tha. Neeche ibarat thi,

"Ab London tum is haalat mein toh ja nahi sakogi?"

Aur woh sadi se gung apni jagah baithi reh gayin. Aankho par yaqeen nahi aaya tha. Nazar dhundhli hone lagi thi. Dil saakin ho gaya tha. Sar utha kar darwaze ki taraf dekha. Kaghaz muthi mein liye, lahaaf hata diya.

Qadar koshish se qadam uthaye bahar aayi.

"Mummy! Aap yahan?" Hammad fridge se kuch nikaal raha tha, foran un ke paas aa gaya.

"Tumhare dada kahan hain?"

"Woh toh chale gaye. No baje un ki flight hai Germany ki. Papa bhi saath ja rahe hain. Aap so rahi thi isliye jagaya nahi maine."

Woh unhein kandhon se thaam ke khada tha. Un ki aankhein nam ho rahi thi. Woh ek dam se rote hue neeche baith gayi thin. "Mummy?," un ke dil par bara bojh tha. Unhein lag raha tha woh mar jaayengi. Unhone siskte hue aankho par haath rakha.

Hammad samajh nahi paaya ke kya keh rahi thin.

"Mummy! Aap mere saath andar chale. Aaraam kare. Aap ki tabiyat theek nahi hai." Woh unhein sahara de kar uthate hue andar le gaya tha. Woh usey batana chahti thin. Un ki tabiyat abhi hi toh theek hui thi. Jo gumaan mein nahi tha, woh ho gaya tha. Azam Shirazi ne unhein Faris se milne ki ijazat de di thi. Woh abhi bhi be-yaqeeni ki si kefiyat mein thi.

Aisa kaise hua tha? Unhone faisla kaise badal liya tha? Unhone farm house mein jis sakhti se baat ki thi toh unhein laga tha woh zindagi bhar usey milne nahi dein ge. Magar ab achanak se ijazat de kar unho ne heraan kar diya tha.

Unhone agle din unhein phone kiya. Woh un ka shukriya ada karna chahti thi.

"Tabiyat kaisi hai tumhari?" Woh poochh rahe the.

"Behtar hoon!" Woh itna hi keh saki.

"Behtar hi rehni chahiye. Apna khayal rakho ladki." Un ke lehje mein shafqat bharha tahkum tha. Unho ne lab kaat-te hue khidki se bahar saahil e samundar ki taraf dekha.

"Baba, main aap ka shukriya ada karna chahti hoon. Aap ka yeh ehsaan main kabhi nahi bhoolu gi." Doosri taraf woh kuch dair tak khamosh rahe.

"Faris ke saath tumhare rabtay ka asar hamari family par nahi padna chahiye. Hammad par bilkul nahi!" Un ka lehja phir se sakht aur tahkumana ho gaya tha.

"Main nahi chahta tum apni sehat ke hawalay se la-parwahi bartho ya apni zindagi se is tarah be-zar ho jao" sanjidgi se samjhaaya.

"Main koshish karugi." Unhone kaha. Dil se bhaari bojh sarak gaya tha. Duaen rang layi thi. Kabhi socha bhi na tha ke Azam Shirazi is tarah unhein ijazat dein ge. Kisi din un ka dil us ke liye bhi naram ho jaye. Unhone dua ki thi, aur bahut dil se dua ki thi.

•••

Agle din Haider aaya toh pandrah bees minute tak band kamre mein woh Faris se baat karta raha. Rahim neeche tha. Popcorn khate hue koi film dekh raha tha. Har thodi dair baad nazar utha kar seedhiyo ki taraf zaroor dekh leta tha. Jaane kya baat ho rahi thi. Phir woh usey apne saath le kar chala gaya tha.

Shaam tak wapsi hui thi. Us ke puchhne par Haider ne bataya tha woh usey kisi psychiatrist ko dikhane ke liye le gaya tha. Agla session ek hafte baad tha aur is tarah ke kai sessions, agle kai mahino tak chalne wale the. Woh zehni tor par bohat disturb tha, is baat ka idraak usey bhi tha.

"Is tarah psychiatrist ko dikhane se behtar nahi hai ke Azam Shirazi sahib, ab usey us ke family ke hawale kar dein?" Haider samne hi zaroori call attend kar ke mura toh usne kaha. Woh is ki baat par thitak gaya tha magar usne phir yun zaahir kiya jaise kuch suna na ho.

Woh raat mein Faris ko apne saath park le gaya. Aur agle kai dinon tak waqfay waqfay se ghuma phirata raha. Khayal tha is se us ke nafsiyat par acha asar parega. Magar usne mehsoos kiya ke woh mazeed disturb ho jata tha. Usey wapas ghar jaane aur apne kamre mein band hone ki jaldi hoti thi.

Us ke saath jo kuch hua tha, Haider ko uska bohat afsos tha. Woh sahi mayno mein us ke liye fikarmand nazar aa raha tha. Woh chahta tha ke Faris school jaye magar Faris apna iraada badalne ko tayar na tha. Haider mayoos ho kar chup ho gaya. Jaane kis ki hidayat aur hukum par ghar mein parhai ya school ka bhi zikr na hua. Rahim ne toh khud ko waise bhi us ke mamlat se door rakha hua tha. Us ka jo kaam tha, woh sirf wahi kar raha tha. Haider ne bhi usey qail karna chhod diya tha. Aur phir ek subah woh Begonia House se hi chala gaya tha.

Jamila Dawood ne Haider ko andar bulaya tha. Azam Shirazi aaraam farma rahe the. Woh Faris ke hawale se us se baat karna chahti thin. Us ki khairiyat maloom karna chahti thin. Hammad ke exams hone wale the. so woh abhi London nahi ja sakti thin. Ek mah baad ka plan mutawaqqe tha. Haider un ke samne sar jhukaye mo’addab sa khada tha aur sanjeedgi se un ke sawalaat ka jawab de raha tha. Woh apne andar ek karb sa mehsoos karte usey sunti ja rahi thi.

Guzishta chhey mah ka hawala wahan se shuru ho raha tha jahan se woh usey chhod kar gayi thin. Woh ek dam se bahut khamosh ho gaya tha. Usne kamre se nikalna bhi chhod diya tha. Woh lawn mein walk ke liye bhi nahi jata tha. Woh raat mein aksar cheekhte hue uth kar baith jaya karta tha.

Kamra roshan hota tha aur usey phir bhi lagta tha ke andhera hai. Usne farmhouse se do baar faraar ki koshish ki thi. Woh apni psychiatrist ke sath koi ta’awun nahi kar raha tha. Usne haadse ke mutaliq abhi tak koi maloomat faraham nahi ki thin. Woh us par baat bhi nahi karna chahta tha. Ab us ki sehat behtar thi magar zehni tor par woh bahut disturb tha. Woh ab school jaane ko tayar nahi tha.

Unhone Haider ko jaane ki ijazat de di aur khud kitni hi dair tak wahan baithi rahi. Azam Shirazi neend se bedar hone ke baad tayar ho kar neeche aaye toh woh unhein mulaazim ke humrah bahar jata dekhte hue glass wall ke paas aa khadi huin.

Aath mah guzar chuke thay aur Faris Wajdan abhi tak us hadse ke asar se bahar nahi nikal paaya tha. Woh is tarah apne khol mein pehle kabhi band nahi hua tha. Shayad is liye ke tab woh us ke paas hoti thi. Ya phir Doctor Mustafa, jin ki mojoodgi ka us ki zindagi par gehra asar tha. Woh unhi ki wajah se apne hostel mein adjust ho paaya tha.

“Toh kya Azam Shirazi ne Faris ki haalat ke pesh-e-nazar unhein milne ki ijazat di thi?” Woh apni jagah apne andar lamha bhar ke liye sakte mein aayi thi.

“Kya yeh faisla Faris ki wajah se badla gaya tha? Kya unhein us ki fikar thi? Us ke mustaqbil ki, us ki zindagi ki?” Woh aankho mein pareshaani liye unhein dekh rahi thin. Mulazim ne briefcase gaari mein rakh diya tha. Doosre ne aqbi darwaza khol diya tha. Woh apni safed rang ki gaari mein sawar ho rahe the. Unhone gehra saans le kar unhein dobara dekha.

"Kya duaein rang la rahi hain? Kya unka dil ab iske liye naram ho raha hai? Kya ab woh ise apna bana lege?" Zehan mein ek musbat khayal ujaagar hua. Unhone umeed qaim rakhi. Dua jari rakhi. "Sab theek ho jayega," zeir-e-lab dehrate apne sar ko dekha. "Sab theek ho jayega!" Woh wapas palat gayi. Us raat unhone Haider ke diye gaye number par phone kiya. Number Raahim ka tha. Woh Azam Shirazi ke khandan ke ek ek fard ko jaanta tha. Unse baat karte hi unhein pehchan gaya. Woh Faris se baat karna chahti thi. Usne kuch hi dair mein aankhe nam ho gayin. Jane ke ya. Usne sirf "Hello" kaha, aur unki aankhe nam ho gayi thi, unhe laga woh unki awaaz sunte hi phone band kar dega. Unhone apna wada poora nahi kiya tha. Woh usey chhor kar chali gayi thi. Woh chup thi. Unse koi bhi lafz ada nahi ho raha tha. Woh nahi chahti thin Faris phone band kar de.

"Faris...."

"Mummy...." Woh unhein jaan gaya, pehchan gaya. Use is tarah se phone sirf wahi kar sakti thi, magar use bhi yaqeen nahi aaya tha. Unhone use phone kaise kar liya tha? Woh us tak kaise pohanch gayi thin? Sar utha kar Raahim ko dekha. Woh apne totey ke sath baton mein laga hua tha. Usne phone band nahi kiya. Girift barhaye khara raha. Unse bola nahi jaa raha tha. Us se bhi nahi, ke zehan ek dum se khauf aur andesho mein ghir gaya tha.

Woh nahi chahta tha mazeed koi badmazgi ho ya uske dada Jameela Daud par gussa kare, Woh nahi chahta tha woh uske liye laren ya koi stand le.

"Faris!" Unhone pukara. Usne jawab nahi diya. Kaafi dair tak nahi diya.

"Is tarah nahi karo. Mujhse baat karo bete." Unki awaaz bheegi hui thi.

Rahim ne gardan mod kar Faris ki taraf dekha. Uski aankhein zabt se surkh parr rahi thi. Chehre par karb thehra hua tha. Is arse mein pehli baar usne Faris Wajdan ke taasarat badalte dekhe the.

"Mujhe maaf kar do. Apni mummy ko maaf kar do. Main tumhein chor kar chali gayi."

"Aap mujhe phone mat kare" bola to yun jaise kaafi arsay baad bolne ki taqat mili ho.

Jameela ke dil par zarb lagi.

Woh dara hua nahi tha. Woh jaanti thi, Faris ye baat unki fikr mein keh raha tha. Woh khud ko har surat unse door rakhna chahta tha. Usne phone band kar diya. Uske baad jitni baar unhone koshish ki, Faris ne unse baat nahi ki thi.

•••

Subah sawere Faris Wajdan ko school uniform mein malboos dekh kar Rahim apni jagah gang reh gaya. Jis tarah ki zid usne bandhi thi school na jane ki aur jis qadar hatdharmi ka muzahira karte hue usne Haider ko tang kiya tha, to ab achanak school jane ka faisla kar ke usne hairan kar diya. Woh kuch dair tak mashkooq nigahon se use dekhta raha. Kisi saaye ki tarah din raat uske sath musslat rehne ke bawajood, woh uski soch ko kisi taur parh nahi paa raha tha, na hi uske irado ko samajh paa raha tha. Zehan mein ek hi lamhe mein bohat kuch ghoom gaya.

"School ke bahane woh kahi farar hone ka to nahi soch raha tha? Ya phir school ki building se chalang lagane ka tayya kiya ho? Kahin school mein koi masla khada kar ke Azam Shirazi ke liye masail to paida nahi karna chahta."

"Tum to kehte the kabhi school nahi jao ge! Achanak kya badal gaya?"

"Mujhe lagta hai inteqam ke liye school jana bohot zaroori hai.” Raahim ki bolti sahi mayno mein band hui thi. Inteqaam kaisa tha, kis noiyat ka tha use samajhne ke liye musalsal ek hafte tak use Faris ke sath uske school jana pada tha. Woh class ke andar, break ke waqt, pehle ground mein gharz har jagah ek guard ke roop mein uske sath sath raha. Pure ek hafte baad woh is natije par pohancha ke Faris Wajdan ka focus apni parhai ke siwa aur kahin nahi tha. Pure ek hafte ki be-aarami ke baad woh pursukoon ho kar soya. Dopeher mein school ki taraf se call gayi. Usne kisi ladke ka bazu tor diya tha.

Usne baazu nahi tora tha. Sirf ek senior ladke ke tang karne par, apna difa karne ki koshish ki thi aur natijan woh apne hi wazan se ulajh ke seedhiyon se gir kar apna baazu todwa baitha tha. Senior ladka buzdil tha ke use seedhiyon se jaan bujh kar us waqt giraya gaya jab ke woh kuch bhi nahi kar raha tha. Ladka mota aur lamba tha. Use seedhiyon se pakad kar girana kam az kam Faris ke bas ki baat nahi thi.

Raahim ne poori soorat-e-haal ka tajziya kar ke behs mubahisey mein mote ladke ki amma ko aisa uljhaaya ke woh bokhla gayin. Fake shahadato ke bawajood per school ko maana para ke ghalti us ladke ki hi thi. Itni mushkil se poore masle se jaan chhuda kar woh use ghar laya aur phir jo shuru hua to das pandrah minute tak musalsal barasta garajta hi raha.

“Tum ek baar waazeh tor par hame bata do ke tum chahte kya ho, taake hum tumhare Azam Shirazi sahab ko bata dein aur phir woh tumhara koi mustaqil hal dekhein.”

Us ka koi mustaqil hal nahi tha. Woh chup chaap baitha raha.

❏❏❏