Akas-e-Mustaqil

Chapter12 :Qaid-e-Nikah

Karachi ki garam hawaon aur shehar ke shor-o-ghul ke darmiyan, Zarvan Khan ki gari uske aalishaan ghar ke gate par rukein. Zarvan, Dua, aur apni family ke sath safar khatam kar chuka tha. Jaise hi Zarvan ghar ke darwaze se andar dakhil hua, uski maa ne sakht lehje mein raasta rok liya.

"Dua andar nahi jayegi!" Maa ki aankhon mein nafrat aur gussa saaf dikh raha tha. "Ise jahan bhi rakho, yahan nahi reh sakti. Meri baat samajh lo!"

Zarvan Khan ne gehri saans li, uski aankhon mein thanda pan tha. "Kal se yeh yahan nahi rahegi, maa," usne dhimi magar pur-asar awaaz mein kaha, "par aaj ise yahin rehna hoga. Aur aap janti hain, aap meri baat taal nahi sakti."

Maa gusse mein bhunbhunati hui andar chali gayi. Zarvan ne foran apne khass aadmi, Bakhtiyar, ko ishara kiya. Bakhtiyar jhijhakta hua qareeb aaya toh Zarvan ne jhuk kar uske kaan mein kuch sargoshi ki. Bakhtiyar ki aankhon mein hairat ubhri, par usne sar jhukaya aur apne guards ko lekar foran wahan se rawana ho gaya.

Kuch hi der guzri thi ke Bakhtiyar ki biwi wahan aayi. Zarvan ne sardi se kaha, "Jao, Dua ko apne sath le jao." Woh Dua ka haath pakar kar use andar le gayi.

Maa wapis palti, chehre par sawaliye nishana tha. "Zarvan! Yeh sab kya ho raha hai? Kuch bataoge mujhe?"

Zarvan ne khirki se bahar dekhte hue jawab diya, "Kuch der mein aapko khud hi pata chal jayega." Uska lehja itna sakht tha ke maa khamosh ho gayi.

Kuch der baad, Dua wapis aayi. Usne ek saada sa safed libas pehna tha, aur chehre par halki si tayaari thi jo uski masoomiyat ko aur numaya kar rahi thi. Jaise hi usne qadam andar rakha, Zarvan ki nazrein us par tham gayin. Woh apni nazrein hatana chahta tha, kyunki uske dil mein Dua ke liye gussa bhi tha, par uski aankhein uski baat nahi maan rahi thin.

Tabhi Bakhtiyar andar dakhil hua, uske sath ek molvi sahab bhi the. "Sahab, hum aa gaye," Bakhtiyar ne kaha.

Maa ka chehra khauf aur hairat se safed par gaya. "Zarvan! Yeh tum kya karne ja rahe ho?"

Zarvan Khan ne bilkul sanjeedgi se Dua ki taraf dekha. "Iske alawa koi chara nahi hai, maa. Main Dua se abhi nikah karne ja raha hoon."

Maa cheekh uthin, "Tum qatilon ke khandan se biwi laoge? Aisa hargiz nahi hoga! Main yeh hone nahi doongi!"

Zarvan ne apni maa ki aankhon mein dekha. "Yeh mera faisla hai, aur is par aap kuch nahi bolegi." Yeh keh kar usne maa ko nazar-andaz kar diya. Maa gusse mein apne kamre ki taraf bhagi, aur Mirha khamoshi se uske peeche chali gayi.

Dua wahan khari kanp rahi thi, use samajh nahi aa raha tha ke kya ho raha hai. Woh darr aur gabrahat ke aalam mein Zarvan ko dekh rahi thi, aur Zarvan ki nazrein Dua ki aankhon mein thi—ek aisi jagah jahan nafrat aur ek anjaan si kashish ka raasta mil raha tha.

Ab sehan mein khamoshi ka raj tha, magar hawa mein ek ajib sa tanao (tension) tha. Bakhtiyar molvi sahab ko lekar aa chuka tha aur kamre mein maujood gawahon ki nazrein Zarvan Khan aur Dua par tiki thin. wo sab wahin Beth gy..

Molvi sahab ne kitab kholi aur nikah ki shartein aur ijab-o-qubool ka amal shuru kiya. Dua ki halat qabil-e-reham thi. Uske zehan mein apni maa ka chehra baar baar aa raha tha—wo maa jo ab uske paas nahi thi. Uske wajood mein ek laraazi thi, aankhon se ansoo rawan the jo uske gulabi rukhsaaron par motiyon ki tarah gir rahe the.

Jab molvi sahab ne us se pucha, toh uska gala bhar aaya. Usne kaanpti hui awaz mein aur nam aankhon ke sath teen baar "Qabool hai" kaha. Uske haath is qadar laraaz rahe the ke kalam pakadna mushkil ho raha tha, magar majboori ke tehat usne register par apne dastakhat kar diye—ek aisa faisla jo uski zindagi badalne wala tha.

Phir baari Zarvan Khan ki thi. Wo pathar ki murat ki tarah baitha raha. Jab usne "Qabool hai" kaha, toh uski awaz mein koi jazbaat nahi, balki ek gehri nafrat aur gussa tha. Usne kalam uthaya aur zor se paper par sign kiye, jaise wo kisi ko khatam kar raha ho. Sign karte hi wo bager kisi ki taraf dekhe utha aur kamre se bahar nikal gaya, piche chhor gaya ek aesa rishteda jo nafrat ki buniyad par qaim hua tha.

Zarvan ke jane ke baad, Bakhtiyar ki biwi ne Dua ka haath thama aur use zabardasti Zarvan Khan ke aalishaan kamre ki taraf le gayi. Kamre mein dakhil hote hi Dua ka dum ghutne laga. Wo wahan nahi rehna chahti thi.

"Main yahan nahi rahungi," Dua ne rony aur dard bhari awaz mein kaha. "Mujhe kahin aur, kisi aur kamre mein rakh lo... chalo guest room ya quarter mein hi jagah de do, par main yahan nahi reh sakti!"

Bakhtiyar ki biwi ne thora sakht lehja apnaya. "Dua, hosh mein aao. Ab Zarvan Khan tumhare shohar hain, tumhare liye yahan rehna hi nizam-e-duniya hai."

Dua zid par ari thi, uske ansoo thamne ka naam nahi le rahe the. Uske chehre par khauf tha. Nokrani, jo ye sab dekh rahi thi, usne thora naram parte hue kaha, "Chalo, filhal guest room ka darwaza khula hai, wahan chali jao."

Dua ko jaise zindagi ki koi nayi umeed mil gayi, wo foran wahan se nikli aur guest room ki taraf bhagi, jahan wo is azeem aur khaufnaak ghar ke maidan se thori der ke liye door reh sakti thi.

Dosri Traf Haveli ke dar-o-deewar par ek gehri aur dehla dene wali khamoshi ka raaj tha. Teen logon ka qatal is ghar ke liye koi mamooli waqiya nahi tha, isne haveli ki ronak ko hamesha ke liye dafna diya tha.

Andar ek kamre mein dadi ki tabiyat boht kharab thi. Unka chehra zard par chuka tha aur aankhon mein ek purani udaasi thi. Waqas Khan, jo Dua ke baba the, apne maa ke paas baith kar unke pair daba rahe the. Unka dil maa ki halat dekh kar bhar aaya tha.

"Amaa, kya ho gaya hai aapko?" Waqas ne narmi se pucha. "Aap toh hamesha sakht-jaan rahi hain, phir aaj itni kamzor kyun?"

Dadi ne thandi saans bhari aur kapti hui awaz mein kaha, "Beta, jis maa ke bete hi na rahen aur pooda (nasl) bhi chal gaya ho, uski tabiyat aisi hi ho jati hai. Yeh sab Sarmad ki bewakoofi ka natija hai. Usne mere Farjad Khan ko maar diya, phir Zarvan ne badle mein mere Wasim aur Yasir ki jaan le li... aur Sarmad ko bhi. Kash wo ye sab na karta!"

Waqas Khan ki aankhon mein badle ki aag jal uthi. Unhon ne dadi ka haath thama aur mazbooti se kaha, "Amaa, hum badla zaroor lenge. Jab tak unke khoon ka hisab nahi chukaya jayega, aapki rooh ko sukoon nahi milega."

Dadi ne ek thaki hui nazar Waqas par dali. "Haan beta, lenge zaroor, magar abhi nahi. Sahi waqt ka intezar karna hoga. Is haveli ko sambhalna... is halat mein mere liye ab asaan nahi raha."

Haveli ki khamoshi mein ab sirf dadi ki siskiyan aur Waqas ke dil mein palta hua badle ka mansooba goonj raha tha.

Waqas Khan ne dadi ke sar par haath phira aur naram lehje mein kaha, "Amaa, pareshan na hon. Ab se main hi sambhalunga haveli ko."

Dadi ne thaki hui aankhon se use dekha aur dheemi awaz mein boli, "Haan, ab tum hi ho mera anmol sahara, mera beta."

Waqas ne dadi ko chadar urhai, aur tasalli dene ke baad uth kar kamre se bahar nikal gaya. Darwaza halka sa band karke jab wo haveli ke corridor mein aaya, toh uske chehre se wo narmi gayab ho chuki thi. Uske dimaag mein purani yaadein ghoomne lagin—wo waqt jab usne Sarmad ko apne jhaanse mein liya tha.

Waqas khan ki chaal

Uski aankhon ke samne wo manzar taza ho gaya jab usne Sarmad se kaha tha, "Zarvan ne hamare ghar mein ghus kar humein lalkara hai. Tum jao aur Mirha ko le aao, baqi sab main sambhal lunga. Hum badla lene mein kabhi peechay nahi hat-te!"

Sarmad, jo us waqt junoon aur josh mein tha, foran bol para tha, "Main abhi jata hoon aur Mirha ko le aata hoon, main us se nikah karunga!"

Sarmad ke jate hi Waqas ne foran phone milaya tha. "Hello! Wo kheton mein hain, mauqa dekh kar unhein khatam kar do aur unke haath hargiz na lagne payein!" Phone cut karke Waqas ne apni moonchein taaon dein aur ek zehreeli, kaamyab muskurahat uske chehre par ubhar aayi thi.

Asli Mansooba:

Waqas ne khud se socha, "Ab mujhe yahan se ghaib ho jana chahiye. Shaban kaam ka ladka hai, main use jese chahy istemal karunga... aur phir ye jaidad, ye haveli, sab sirf meri hogi!"

Waqas ne tab Shaban ko bahana bana kar garhiyan dikhane ke liye door bhej diya tha, aur peeche Zarvan Khan ne Sarmad aur baki sab ko maut ke ghaat utar diya.

Yaadon ke is bhavar se bahar nikal kar Waqas Khan ne dadi ke band kamre ki taraf dekha aur thandi saans bhar kar khud se kaha, "Amaa, mujhe maaf kijiyega, par mujhe ye sab chahiye tha... sirf ye haveli aur ye jaidad."

Haveli ki pur-israr fiza aur dadi ki mayoosi ko peeche chhod kar, Waqas Khan apni gari mein baith gaya. Kuch dair ke safar ke baad, wo shehar ke ek aalishaan aur pur-sukoon ilaake mein waqay apne dusre ghar pahuncha. Ye haveli ki tarah purani aur darr-awani nahi thi, balki yahan ek nayi zindagi basayi gayi thi.

Jaise hi wo andar dakhil hua, uski dusri biwi, jo behad saaf-suthre aur mehange libas mein thi, muskura kar uske samne aayi. Waqas ne sofe par baithte hue apna coat utara aur naram lehje mein pucha, "Kya banaya hai tumne aaj? Aur mere bete kahan hain?"

"Bas, university se ate hi honge," biwi ne narmi se jawab diya.

Waqas Khan ne sukoon ki saans li. Uski aankhon mein ek chamak thi. Usne socha, "Ye sab... ye daulat, ye jaidad, ye aalishan ghar, ye sab main ne apne beton, Sheraz aur Sarim ke liye hi toh kiya hai."

Uska zehan wapas purani haveli ki taraf gaya, jahan woh Dua ko aur apne purane rishton ko chhod aaya tha. Ek zehreeli muskurahat uske labon par aa gayi. "Shukr hai," usne dil hi dil mein kaha, "Dua se aur baqi sab se jaan chhoot gayi. Ab mujhe apni asli warison aur apni khushi ki fikar hai."

Use zara barabar bhi pachtawa nahi tha ke usne apne bhaiyon aur dusron ki laashon par ye imarat khari ki hai. Uske liye, Sheraz aur Sarim ka mustaqbil sab se ahem tha, aur unhe duniya ki har khushi dene ke liye usne har had paar kar di thi.

Guest room ke andar, Dua ne darwaza andar se band kar liya tha. Wo bistar par nidhal si gir gayi, uske baal bikhre hue the aur aankhein chat ki taraf jammi thin. Wo soch rahi thi ke uski zindagi ka kitna bada hissa tabah ho chuka hai. Ek taraf maa ki majboori aur dusri taraf Zarvan Khan jaisa dushman, jise wo janti tak nahi thi. Wo bas itna janti thi ke yeh nikah mohabbat ka nahi, balki dushmani ki aag mein jala hua ek samjhauta hai. Dua apni ungliyon ko ek dusre mein phansa kar dabe ja rahi thi, uske zehan mein sawalon ka ek toofan tha jiska koi jawab nahi tha.

Dusri taraf, Zarvan Khan apne kamre mein dakhil hua, magar wahan Dua ko na pakar kar uska gussa saatvein aasman par pahunch gaya. "Yeh larki... aakhir kar kya rahi hai? Kahan chali gayi?"

Wo tezi se seedhiyan utarta hua neeche aaya jahan Bakhtiyar aur uski biwi mojood the. Zarvan ki aankhon mein aag thi. "Dua kahan hai?"

Bakhtiyar ki biwi ne darte hue jawab diya, "Sahab... wo guest room mein hai."

Zarvan Khan ne ek gehri saans li aur guest room ki taraf badh gaya. Wahan pahunch kar usne darwaze par zor se dastak di, "Dua! Darwaza kholo."

Andar se koi jawab nahi aaya. Zarvan ki berahmi ab badh rahi thi. "Khol rahi ho ya main darwaza tor doon?"

Dua ne darte hue uth kar darwaza khola. Zarvan Khan jaise hi andar dakhil hua, Dua ghabra kar peeche hati. Zarvan ne foran uske baazuon ko apni mazboot girift mein le liya. "Tumhein kab se bol raha hoon darwaza kholo, kyun nahi khol rahi thi? Samajh nahi aati tumhe meri koi baat?"

Dua ki aankhon mein khauf aur gussa dono the, magar Zarvan ne uski ek na suni. Usne uska haath jhatke se pakra aur ghasit-te hue apne kamre ki taraf le gaya. Kamre mein dakhil hote hi usne Dua ko bed par phenka aur darwaze ki kundi (lock) laga di.

Dua bed par simat kar baith gayi, uski saansein tez thin. Wo Zarvan Khan ko dekh rahi thi—ek aisa shakhs jo ab uska shohar toh tha, magar jiski aankhon mein nafrat ki aag bhari hui thi. Dua dar bhi rahi thi, magar uski aankhon mein ek ajeeb sa gussa tha jo Zarvan ko mazeed bharka raha tha.

Zarvan ke mehal ke ahan-e-darwaze ke bahar, Bakhtiyar ka phone ek dum se baj utha. Screen par ek anjaan number dekh kar usne nazrein ghumayin aur khamoshi se haveli se bahar nikla. Call uthate hi usne tawajo se kaha, "Ji sahab?"

Doosri taraf Waqas Khan ki bhari aur zehreeli awaz gunji, "Kya bana?"

Bakhtiyar ne aas-paas dekha aur dhimi awaz mein raport di, "Sahab, dua se Zarvan Khan ne nikah kar liya hai. Woh ab puri tarah Zarvan ki panah mein hai."

Waqas Khan ke munh se ek jhallahat bhari siski nikli, "Uff! Bas mujhe report dete rehna, pal-pal ki khabar chahiye, samajh gaye?"

Ji, jaisa aap kahen," Bakhtiyar ne foran sar jhukaya, "main aapko har halat se agah rakhta rahunga."

Waqas Khan ki awaz mein lalach aur nasha tha, "Shabash! Aur haan, jo tumne mujhe Farjad aur Zarvan ke kheton mein hone ki itelaa di thi, us kaam ka inaam (rakam) tumhe aaj mil jayegi. Bas mujhe har qadam ki khabar chahiye—Zarvan Khan kahan ja raha hai, kya kar raha hai, kis se mil raha hai."

Bakhtiyar ne thora hichkichate hue kaha, "Ji, main koshish karunga... magar sahab, yeh thora mushkil hota hai. Zarvan sahab boht hoshiyar hain, unki nazar se bach kar rehna aasaan nahi."

Waqas Khan ne sakhti se kaha, "Ehtiyat ke sath kaam karo, par khabar zaroor milni chahiye." Yeh keh kar usne call kaat di.

Bakhtiyar ne phone apni jaib mein dala aur ek lamhay ke liye socha—wo janta tha ke wo aag se khel raha hai. Zarvan Khan jaise shakhs ke khilaf gaddari karna maut ko dawat dena tha, magar Waqas Khan ki di hui raqam ki lalach uske zameer par bhaari par rahi thi. Woh wapas haveli ki taraf mur gaya..

Dosri Traf Dua ne bed se uth kar khud ko sambhala. Uske dil ki dhadkanein uske seene mein kisi dhol ki tarah baj rahi thin. Zarvan ki maujoodgi se kamre ki fiza boht bojhhal (heavy) ho chuki thi. Wo kisi tarah uske qareeb se guzri aur darwaze ki kundi kholne ke liye haath barhaya hi tha ke achanak ek mazboot haath ne uska kalai pakar li.

Ek jhatke ke sath use peeche kheench liya gaya. Dua ab seedhi Zarvan Khan ke seene se ja takrai thi. Zarvan ne apne dono haath Dua ki kamar ke gird lapet liye aur use apni taraf itna qareeb kar liya ke unke darmiyan ab koi faasla nahi bacha tha.

Zarvan us par poori tarah jhuk gaya. Dua ko uske wajood ki garmi aur uski tez chalti saansein apne chehre par mehsoos ho rahi thin. Wo ek dam se sun ho gayi, uski dhadkanein ab kisi bhi lamhay rukk sakti thin.

Dua ne hichkichate hue pucha, "Ye... ye aap kya kar rahe hain?"

Zarvan Khan ne apni gehri, siyah aankhein Dua ki nam aankhon mein gaarh di. Uske chehre par gusse ke saaye the. "Samajh nahi aati tumhein?" Zarvan ki awaz gungunati hui aur khatarnak thi. "Phir bahar ja rahi ho? Main kya baar-baar tumhe pakar kar yahan laata rahunga?

Zarvan thora aur qareeb hua, uski nazrein Dua ke har tasur ko parh rahi thin. "Meri maa ko tumhara chehra bardasht nahi hai. Wo nahi chahti ke tum ghar mein dandanati phiro. Isliye behtar yehi hai ke tum yahin raho... isi kamre mein. Aayi samajh?"

Dua ki saansein atak gayi thin. Zarvan ki aankhon mein aisa junoon aur nafrat thi ke use laga jaise wo use abhi kha jayega. Usne dar aur khauf ki wajah se bas dhimi awaz mein, "Jee," kaha aur sir jhuka liya.

Zarvan abhi bhi use isi tarah qaid kiye hue tha, jaise wo kisi keemti magar dushman cheez par kabza jamaye baitha ho. Kamre mein khamoshi thi, magar dono ke dilon ki dharkanein ek dusre ko jawab de rahi thin.