Akas-e-Mustaqil

Chapter11 : Panah-e-Dushman

Dua ki saansein seene mein atak gayin thi. Zarvan Khan ka mazboot wajood uske bilkul samne tha. Woh jhatke se peeche hati, uski aankhon mein khauf ka ek dariya tha. Zarvan ne apni pur-asar, geheri nazrein Dua par tikaein aur ek qadam aage barhaya. Dua ghabra kar mazeed peeche hati, magar pichle qadam ke peeche koi rukawat aayi, aur uska paon mur gaya. Wo girne hi wali thi ke usne khud ko sambhalne ki koshish ki, magar wo farsh par gir gayi.

Zarvan Khan ne apne bazu seene par baandhe, upar se use dekhte hue gusse se kaha, "Tum yahan se bhagna chahti ho? Kya tum mere gazab se darti nahi ho?"

Dua ki aankhon se aansu jari ho gaye. Wo sisakte hue boli, "Mujhe... mujhe ghar jana hai... please, mujhe jane dein."

Zarvan Khan uske samne jhuka, uski awaz mein ek thandi si nafrat thi, "Bhool jao tumhara koi ghar tha. Tum ab hamare sath Karachi jaogi, hamari ghulam ban kar. Baat samajh aayi?"

Nahi! Main nahi jaungi! Mujhe jana hai!" Dua cheekh kar boli, uski zidd abhi baki thi.

Itne mein Dua ke peeche se ek sakht aur raubdaar awaz aayi, "Zarvan Khan! Tum dushman ki beti ko yahan laa kar kya sabit karna chahte ho?"

Zarvan ne gardan utha kar dekha, uski maa aur behn wahan khari thin. Uski maa ki aankhon mein nafrat aur ghussa tha. Zarvan ne baithe hue hi kaha, "Main ise apne badle ke liye yahan laya hoon, maa. Main chahta hoon ke jab jab mujhe mere baap ki maut yaad aaye aur gussa aaye, main ise apna kehar dikha sakoon."

Tum ise wapis haveli chhor do," maa ne hukmiya andaaz mein kaha.

Zarvan Khan khara ho gaya, "Kyun chhoroon? Main nahi chhor sakta."

Maa aage barhi, unka chehra tamtama raha tha, "Tumhare baap ke marne ke baad tum is ghar par kab se hakoomat karne lage ho? Tumhein wahi karna hoga jo main bol rahi hoon. Main is larki ki shakl bhi nahi dekhna chahti aur na ise mazeed yahan bardasht karungi. Yeh unhi ka khoon hai, aur agar yeh yahan rahi toh mujhe tumhare baap ki maut ki yaad dilati rahegi."

Zarvan Khan ne gusse se Dua ko dekha, "Badla? mere badly ka kiya hoga.

Zarvan Khan ki Maa ny bola Badla toh tum le chuky ho, un sab ko maar kar. Bs mujhy ye larki nahi bardasht ab.

"Nahi," maa ne dokha hua jawab diya. "Ise bahir se hi chhor kar aao. Uski haveli mein kadam bhi nahi rakhna. Hamein Karachi bhi jana hai."

Zarvan Khan na chahty huye bhi maa ke hukam mante huye Zarvan ne gusse mein Dua ka hath pakra aur use zor se khara kiya, Dant peesty huye bola "Chalo! Ab tumhein tumhari haveli chhor aata hoon."

Zarvan Dua ko ghaseet'ta hua farm house ke bahar laya. Bakhtiyar aur uski begum wahin kharay thay. Bakhtiyar ne gari nikalne ka ishara kiya. Jab Zarvan gari ki taraf gaya, toh Bakhtiyar ki biwi dhire se Dua ke paas aayi.

Aapki ab tabiyat kaisi hai?" usne ahista se pucha.

Dua ne hairaani se use dekha, "G...?"

Bakhtiyar ki biwi ne kano mein sar-goshi ki, "Us din raat ko aap behosh ho gayi thin aur bheegi hui thin, toh maine aapke kapray change kiye thay. Zarvan sahab ne aapka bohat khayal rakha, aapko bohat tez bukhar tha, wo saari raat aapki patiyan karte rahe.

Dua sun kar sakatay mein aa gayi. Uska dil ek pal ke liye ruk sa gaya. Zarvan... jisne abhi usay ghulam banne ki dhamki di thi, kya usi ne raat bhar uski khidmat ki thi? Wo gari ki taraf dekhti rahi, jahan Zarvan gusse se use ghoor raha tha. Dua ke zehen mein sawalon ka toofan mach gaya tha. Zarvan ki nafrat mein yeh kaisa ehsas ghula hua tha?

Gariyan aur guards ka qafila haveli ke raaste par ruka. Havelika ilaqa shuru hote hi Zarvan ne gari rok di. Uska irada tha ke woh khud Dua ko haveli ke darwaze tak chhorne jaye, magar apni maa ki sakht takeed uske kaanon mein goonj rahi thi—“Uski haveli mein kadam bhi nahi rakhna.

Utro ab gari se!" Zarvan ki awaz mein ek ajeeb si talkhi thi. "Mujhe kya ghoor rahi ho? Jao ab yahan se, tumhari manzil aa gayi hai."

Dua gari se utar kar khari hui, wo chadr aur nikab mein lipti hui thi magar jaane se pehle wo ruki. Usne gari ki khirki mein jhuk kar Zarvan ki aankhon mein dekha. Uske lafzon mein ek naram si gehrai thi, "Zarvan... us din, raat ko aapne mera khayal rakha, uske liye shukriya. Mujhe us waqt andaza nahi tha ke aap ne itna kuch kiya.

Zarvan Khan ke chehre par ek dam se sakhti aa gayi. Uska gussa sholay ban kar bhabhak utha.

"Ye tum kya bol rahi ho?" Zarvan ne daharte hue kaha. Uske chehre par gusse ki surkhi phail gayi. "Mujhse hamdardi jatane ki koshish mat karo! Ye tumhari bhool hai. Yaad rakho, woh tum hi thi jis par kehar maine dhaya tha, tumhe barish mein chhor kar maine hi tumhein maut ke kareeb kiya tha, aur agar marham bhi kisi ne lagaya hai, toh woh bhi Zarvan Khan hi tha! Samjh aayi?!"

Zarvan ki baaton mein nafrat ki aag thi, lekin uske alfaaz mein ek ajeeb sa dard tha. Woh apni ki hui neki ka aitraaf bhi is tarah kar raha tha jaise woh koi jurm ho.

Dua uske is be-rukhe aur zaalim andaz ko ajeeb nazron se dekhti rahi. Wo samajh rahi thi ke Zarvan apni is "hamdardi" ko chupane ke liye nafrat ka naqab pehen raha hai. Dua ne bina koi mazeed jawab diye sar jhukaya aur haveli ki taraf apne qadam barha diye.

Zarvan gari mein betha raha. Uski nazrein Dua ke ladkharaate hue qadmon par thin. Woh use tab tak dekhta raha jab tak Dua haveli ke purane darwaze ke andar gayab nahi ho gayi.

Dua ke dil mein umangon ka ek samandar tha. Apni maa ka chehra, apne kamre ki mehak aur apne ghar ki deewarein—sab kuch usay apni taraf kheench raha tha. Wo ek bari si chadar aur naqab mein lipte hue, tezi se haveli ke darwaze se andar dakhil hui. Use laga tha ke uski maa use gale lagayengi aur wo sab dard bhool jayegi.

Magar jese hi uski maa ki nazar us par pari, unka chehra rang se safed ho gaya. Wo khushi se nahi, balki khauf se satpata gayin. Unhone bina ek lamha zaya kiye Dua ka hath pakra aur use ghaseet'ti hui ek ghutne aur andhere kone mein le gayin.

"Dua... meri bachi!" Unhone Dua ko zor se apne seene se laga liya, magar unki dhadkanein kisi musibat ki aahat de rahi thin.

Dua hairaan thi, "Ami... aap mujhe kone mein kyun layi hain? Main wapis aa gayi hoon, sab theek hai na?"

Dua ki maa ke hathon mein larzish thi, "Beta, tum... tum yahan se chali jao! Foran wapis chali jao! Agar kisi ne tumhe dekh liya, toh gazab ho jayega."

Dua ki aankhein bhar aayin, "Ami, kya hua hai? Aap aisa kyun bol rahi hain? Main apni maa ke paas aayi hoon, koi gunah thodi kiya hai!"

Dua ki maa ki aankhon se aansu jari ho gaye, unhone Dua ke chehre ko apne hathon mein lekar dhamki bhare lehje mein kaha, "Tum nahi janti yahan kya ho raha hai. Dadi... Dadi ne faisla kar liya hai. Wo kehti hain ke agar tum galti se bhi nazar aayi ya haveli wapis aayi, toh wo tumhe... tumhe jaan se maar dengi."

Dua ke qadmon tale zameen nikal gayi, "Ami... mera kya kasoor hai? Kyun mujhe maarenge wo?"

Dua ki maa ne apni cheekh dabate hue kaha, "Unke khayal mein tum ek raat Zarvan ke ghar guzar kar aayi ho, aur tum ab is ghar ki izzat nahi rahi. Beta, wo log pathar dil ho chuke hain. Please, meri bachi, chali jao! Kisi ne dekh liya toh wo tumhari jaan le lenge, meri baat samjho!"

Dua wahan khari kanp rahi thi. Wo jise apna ghar samajh rahi thi, wahi jagah ab uske liye maut ka kuwaan ban chuki thi. "Ami, main kahan jaaun? Mera kaun hai aapke siwa? Aap mujhe aise kaise nikal sakti hain?"

Dua ki maa, jinhe apni beti ki jaan pyari thi, unhone roti hui aankhon se use darwaze ki taraf dhakela. "Beta, kahin bhi jao, bas zinda raho! Meri bachi, meri majboori ko samjho!"

Unhone Dua ko gate se bahar nikal kar darwaza band kar diya. Dua ab haveli ke bahar akeli khari thi, jahan sirf khamoshi thi. Uska apna ghar uske liye band ho chuka tha, aur wo ab raste par thi, jahan koi thikana nahi tha.

Zarvan Khan gari ki pichli seat par betha apni kalai par bandhi ghari ko ghoor raha tha. Uske andar ki be-chaini barhti ja rahi thi. Usne driver ki taraf dekha aur thandi awaz mein pucha, "Driver, kitni der ho gayi hai use gaye hue?"

Driver ne aaina mein dekhte hue jawab diya, "Sahab, koi 5 minute toh ho gaye honge."

Zarvan ki aankhon mein ek ajeeb si kashmakash thi. Usne ek gehri saans li aur hukmiya andaz mein bola, "Chalo, ab wapis chalte hain." Driver ne sar hilaya aur gari ko reverse (peeche) karne laga.

Dosri taraf, haveli ke gate se bahar nikali hui Dua ke kadam ruk gaye thay. Wo sadak par khari thi, charon taraf khamoshi thi. Uska dil gawahiyan de raha tha ke agar wo yahan rahi toh uski maut yaqeen hai. Usay achanak Zarvan ka khayal aya—wo shakhs jisne raat bhar uski narsing ki thi, jisne bukhar mein tapte hue uske sar par hath rakha tha. "Kya pata... kya pata wo mujhe rakh le?" wo soche hue bhagne lagi.

Zarvan ki gari abhi reverse ho rahi thi ke achanak Dua ki cheekh sunayi di, "Zarvan! Zarvan, ruko!"

Ye pehli baar tha ke Dua ne usay uske naam se pukara tha. Zarvan, jo gari ke sheeshe se bahar dekh raha tha, usne wo awaz sun li jo door se aa rahi thi. Usne foran kaha, "Gari roko!"

Gari rukte hi Zarvan ne sheesha niche kiya aur mur kar peeche dekha. Dua hapti aur kanpti hui unki taraf bhag rahi thi. Wo abhi kuch qadam hi door thi ke uska paon phisla aur wo dharam se zameen par gir gayi. Uske hath concrete par ragarne ki wajah se chhil gaye thay. Wo wahin baith kar mayoosi aur dard se sisakne lagi.

Zarvan foran gari se utra aur tezi se uski taraf barha. Dua zameen ki taraf munh kar ke ro rahi thi, dard itna tha ke wo uth nahi pa rahi thi. Tabhi uski nazar zameen par jami hui Zarvan ki jootiyon par pari. Usne dheere se sar uthaya toh uncha lamba Zarvan Khan uske sar par khara tha. Dua ki aankhon mein aansu thay, usne kapkapati awaz mein sirf ek lafz kaha, "Zarvan..."

Zarvan ne use dekha, uski aankhon mein nafrat ki jagah ek ajeeb si hairat aur fikr thi. Usne sakht lehje mein kaha, "Utho. Chalo, mere peeche peeche aa jao."

Dua ne apni shikaat aur dard ko dabaya, ladkharaati hui uthi aur Zarvan ke peeche gari ki taraf chalne lagi. Wo janti thi ke wo ab kisi aise shakhs ki panah mein ja rahi hai jo uska dushman hai, magar dunya ki baki jagahon se zyada wo yahi mehfooz thi. Zarvan Khan ne gari ka darwaza khola aur Dua ko andar baithne ka ishara kiya, ek baar phir unke darmian wo gehra sannata chha gaya, jo bahut kuch keh raha tha magar khamosh tha.

Gari ki pichli seat par khamoshi ka bojh tha. Dua khamoshi se bethi thi, aur Zarvan Khan uske barabar mein betha kuch soch raha tha. Zarvan ki tez nigahon se ye chupa nahi tha ke Dua ke sath haveli mein kuch bura hua hai, jisne usay wapis unhi ke paas aane par majboor kiya. Zarvan ki aankhon mein ghussa aur sawal dono thay, magar wo khamosh raha.

Dua, jo Zarvan ki khamoshi se aur zyada ghutan mehsoos kar rahi thi, usne himmat karke kaha, "Agar aap us din mujhe nahi laate, toh aaj ye sab na hota. Main apne ghar mein kitni khush thi... aapne meri zindagi barbad kar di hai." Uski aankhon se aansuon ki lari beh nikli, aur uski awaz mein ek aisi dardnaak mayoosi thi jo pathar dil ko bhi pighla sakti thi.

Zarvan Khan ne gusse mein uski taraf dekha, uska munh dukh se bhara hua tha. "Ab tumhein yahin utaar doon gari se? Tab tum chup hogi?" Zarvan ne daharte hue kaha, uski awaz mein gussa tha, magar andar se wo shayad Dua ke dard ko mehsoos kar raha tha.

Dua ne apne aansu ponchhay aur dabee hui awaz mein boli, "Nahi... ab main kya kar sakti hoon? Mere paas koi ghar hi nahi raha. Aap chahein toh mujhe apne ghar ke kisi bhi kone mein ek nokrani bana kar rakh lein. Main servant quarter mein rehne ko bhi tayyar hoon, bas mujhe yahan se nikal kar kahin chhor mat dijiye."

Zarvan Khan ne koi jawab nahi diya. Usne foran apna rukh khirki ki taraf kar liya aur bahir andheri sadak ko dekhne laga. Uski garadan ki ragein gusse se phool gayi thin. Usne sard aur sakht lehje mein kaha, "Ab chup kar jao. Rone ki zara bhi awaaz na aaye, main is shor ka aadi nahi hoon, samjhi? Agar ab tumne kuch bhi bola, toh main tumhe yahin beech sarak par utaar kar chala jaunga."

Dua ne apne hathon ko zor se bhincha aur khamosh ho gayi. Gari ki raftar tez thi, aur dono ke darmian nafrat aur majboori ki ek aisi deewar khari thi jise abhi koi nahi tod sakta tha. Zarvan gusse mein toh tha, magar uske andar kahi na kahi Dua ki wo majboori ek naye toofan ko janam de rahi thi.

Gari farm house ke sehan mein rukte hi sannata chha gaya. Zarvan Khan gari se utra, aur uske peeche-peeche Dua ne dabe paon qadam bahar rakhe. Zarvan ki maa, jo pehle hi wahan intezar mein khari thin, Dua ko wapis dekh kar unka chehra ghusse se tamtama gaya.

"Yeh... yeh phir se yahan kya kar rahi hai?" unhone jhalate hue pucha.

Zarvan ne thande lehje mein jawab diya, "Iske ghar walon ne ise rakhne se inkaar kar diya hai, isliye yeh wapis aa gayi hai."

Zarvan ki maa ki aankhon mein aag thi, "Toh kya humne yahan yateem khana khola hua hai? Sab tayariyan mukammal hain, humein abhi Karachi nikalna hai, aur tum isay apne sath le aaye? Tum isay kahin bhi chhor sakte thay!"

Zarvan Khan ke kandoon par ek ajeeb sa dabao mehsoos hua. Usne apni maa ki taraf dekha aur sakht lehje mein bola, "Kya matlab? Kahin bhi chhor deta? Woh ek larki hai, Maa. Kya kisi larki ko yun beech raaste mein chhor dena chahiye?"

Zarvan ke is jawab ne Maa ko la-jawab kar diya. Woh kuch pal ke liye khamosh ho gayin, shayad unhe umeed nahi thi ke unka beta, jo dushman ki aulad se itni nafrat karta hai, woh uski hifazat ke liye aisa koi qayam karega. Unhone ek thandi aur nafrat bhari nazar Dua par daali aur bola, "Theek hai, chalo ab Karachi chalte hain. Wahan pahunch kar dekhenge ke iska kya karna hai."

Dua ye saara manzar ek mujrim ki tarah khari dekh rahi thi. Uski dhadkanein tez thi; use mehsoos ho raha tha ke ab wo kisi aise safar par nikal rahi hai jahan se wapsi ka rasta hamesha ke liye band ho chuka hai. Woh ghar jiske liye usne itni koshish ki, wahan se thukraye jaane ke baad ab uske paas bas Zarvan Khan ki panah thi—ek aisi panah jo khud kisi kaid se kam nahi thi.

Zarvan ne ek baar Dua ki taraf dekha, uski nazron mein ab bhi gussa tha, magar us gusse ke peeche koi chupi hui majboori thi. Usne ishara kiya aur sab Karachi jaane ke liye gariyon ki taraf barh gaye.

Dua ne akhri baar farm Peshawar ko dekha aur apni nazarain niche jhuka lin. Karachi... ek anjan shehar, ek anjan ghar, aur ek aisa shakhs jiske sath uski dushmani ab aik ajeeb rishte mein badalne lagi thi. Gari chali, aur piche chhut gaya wo raasta jo use uske ghar ki taraf le ja sakta tha.wo khud ko aik jail se nikal kar Dosri jail mein jata dekh rahi thi.

ose oski maa buhat yad arahi thi.