Akas-e-Mustaqil

Chapter19 : Safar e Sarab

Zarvan Khan ka junoon ab ek aisi manzil par tha jahan use apni saans bhi ghalti lag rahi thi. Karachi ki sadkon ko khangalne ke baad, uske zehan mein ek chamak si aayi—farmhouse! Wahan zarur koi na koi nishan hoga jo us us tak pohanchayega.

Zarvan wapis farmhouse ki taraf uda. Uska dimaag baar-baar ek hi baat keh raha tha: Koi toh suragh chhora hoga un haramzadon ne. Koi nishan, koi cheez.

Farmhouse pohanchte hi usne gaari ka darwaza jhatke se khola aur andar bhaga. Wo wahan gaya jahan se Dua ko uthaya gaya tha. Wo har ek inch zameen ko dekh raha tha, har kone ko baariqi se chhaan raha tha. Usne wahan ki mitti, darwazon ke handle, aur farsh ko aise dekha jaise koi jaasoos saboot dhund raha ho.

"Kahan ho tum, Dua?" usne gusse aur bebasi ke darmiyan gungunaya.

Talash karte-karte wo chalte-chalte apne aur Dua ke mushtarka (shared) kamre mein dakhil hua. Kamre mein dakhil hote hi ek ajeeb sa sannata uske kaanon mein goonja. Dua ki khushbu abhi bhi hawa mein thi. Dressing table par uska wo perfume rakha tha, bed par wohi takiya tha jahan wo sar rakh kar soti thi.

Zarvan ke qadam wahin jam gaye. Usne dheere se Dua ka takiya uthaya aur use apne seene se laga liya. Dua ki halki si mehak uske naak se takrayi, aur us ek lamhe mein Zarvan ka sara jalal, sara gussa aur sara junoon ek gehri udaasi mein tabdeel ho gaya.

"Dua..." uska gala baith gaya.

Use yaad aaya ke kaise wo yahi khari ho kar us se larti thi, kaise wo usay door karti thi, aur aaj... aaj wahan koi nahi tha. Uska kamra ab ek qabar ki tarah khamosh tha. Dua ki ghair-hazri ki shiddat uske seene mein khanjar ban kar utri.

Zarvan ne apna sar takiye mein gari diya aur phir ek aisi cheekh maari jo farmhouse ki deewaron ko hila gayi.

"DUAAAAA!!!"

Wo cheekh sirf ek awaaz nahi thi, uske andar ke toot-te hue mard ki siski thi. Usne apna haath bed ke side table par mara, jis se wahan rakha hua lamp neeche gir kar tukre-tukre ho gaya.

"Kahan chali gayi tum?! Maine toh kaha tha... maine toh kaha tha ke main door ho jaunga, par tumhein kho dene ki baat toh nahi ki thi!"

Wo bed par ghutno ke bal gir gaya, apne baalon mein ungliyan phansaye aur apni aankhon se aansuon ko behne se nahi rok saka. Uski cheekhein kamre mein goonj rahi thin. Wo jo thodi der pehle shehar ko jala dene ki dhamki de raha tha, ab wahi mard apni mohabbat ki yaad mein toot kar bikhra para tha. Dua ki yaad usay andar hi andar khaa rahi thi—uski bebasi, uska akele hona, uska khauf... Zarvan ko lag raha tha ke wo pal pal mar raha hai.

Usne sir utha kar upar chhat ki taraf dekha, uski aankhon mein ek naya, khatarnaak azm (resolve) tha. "Agar tum wapis na aayi... toh main is duniya ko khatam kar doonga." aag lga doo ga is shehar ko...

Uska gussa ab control se bahar ho raha tha. Wo khra hua aur diwaar ke paas pahuncha, jahan usne apne pure jism ki taqat se apna muqqa deewar par maara. DHAAAMM

Zarvan ke haath se khoon behne laga, magar use dard ka ehsas hi nahi tha. Uski cheekh pure farmhouse mein goonji:

"Dua! Dua ko kaun le ja sakta hai?! Itni himmat kiski hui ke mere saaye ko chune ki jurrat ki?!

Farmhouse ke ek sunsaan kone mein khara Bakhtiyar haanp raha tha. Usne tezi se apne phone se Waqas Khan ka number milaya. Phone uthte hi wo dhimi aur laraazti awaaz mein bola, "Sahab... buhat mushkil se yeh call mili hai. Zarvan Khan jaise pagal ho gaya hai, ek lamhay ki fursat nahi hai mujhe, bas itna batana tha ke aapka kaam ho gaya hai, wo ladki ab humari girift mein hai."

Dusri taraf Waqas Khan ki shaitani hansi goonji. "Hahaha! Bas? Itni jaldi kya hai Bakhtiyar? Abhi toh khel shuru hua hai. Zarvan Khan ko mazeed pagal hone do. Jab uski halat bilkul bekar ho jayegi, jab uski har umeed toot jayegi, tab main apni agli chaal chalunga. Tab maza aayega uske barbaad hone ka!"

Bakhtiyar ne ghabrate hue idhar udhar dekha, "G sahib... par ehtiyat se. Zarvan Khan ka jalal kisi aag se kam nahi hai, kahin main pakra na jaun! Aur... aur aapka to pata nahi chalega na unhein?"

Waqas Khan ki hansi mein ek aziyat-naak garaj thi. "Bap hoon main Dua ka! Wo bhi saga! Dunya mein koi bhi shak kar sakta hai, par kisi ko ye waham bhi nahi ho sakta ke ek baap apni beti ke sath aisi khel khel sakta hai. Tum fikar mat karo, apna kaam jaari rakho."

Bakhtiyar ne kaanpte hathon se phone kan se lagaya hua tha. Waqas Khan ki awaaz uske zehan mein kisi zehreeli saans ki tarah goonj rahi thi.

"Suno, Bakhtiyar... ek baat aur," Waqas Khan ne thandayi se kaha.

"G sahab, farmaiye," Bakhtiyar ne thook nigalte hue kaha.

"Jis ladke ne sabko chai pilayi thi, usay khatam kar do. Isse pehle ke Zarvan Khan us tak pahunch jaye aur koi raaz khul jaye."

Bakhtiyar ka chehra safaid par gaya. Wo hairaani aur khauf se bola, "Sahab... ye aap kya keh rahe hain? Wo ladka ab tak shehar chhodne ki tayyari kar raha hoga. Maine usay raqam de kar nikalne ka intezam kar diya hai."

Waqas Khan ki hansi phone mein goonji, "Ye toh aur bhi achi baat hai. Wo shehar se nikalne na paye, usay raste mein hi khatam karwa do. Is kaam ke liye tumhein dugni raqam milegi."

Lalach ne Bakhtiyar ke khauf ko daba diya. Uski aankhon mein chamak aa gayi. "G sahab... jaisa aap chahein."

Call kat te hi Bakhtiyar ne ek aur number dial kiya. "Wo nikal raha hoga, use shehar se bahar nikalne se pehle hi khatam kar do. Koi nishan nahi bachna chahiye!"

Dosri traf Zarvan Khan ke andar ka shikaari ab bilkul bedaar ho chuka tha. Usay ehsas ho gaya tha ke ye koi mamooli kidnapping nahi, balki farmhouse ke andar ki koi gehri saazish hai. Wo tesh aur junoon mein apne kamre se bahar nikla. Uske qadmon ki aahat se farmhouse ke dar-o-deewar laraz rahe thay.

"Bakhtiyar! Bakhtiyar!" Zarvan ki dahar farmhouse mein goonj uthi.

Bakhtiyar bhagta hua aya, "G... G sahab!"

"Mujhe sab guards abhi isi waqat swimming pool wale area mein chahiye!"

Kuch hi der mein, saare guards swimming pool ke paas line mein khare thay. Zarvan Khan ek shehar ki tarah unke samne tehal raha tha. Uski nazar har ek ke chehre ko cheer rahi thi. Wo janta tha ke sach unhi mein se kahin chupa hai.

"Bolo!" Zarvan garja. "Kya hua tha? Kisne tum sabko behosh kiya?"

Ek guard kap-kapate hue bola, "Sahab... main chai pee raha tha, mujhe nahi pata... uske baad kya hua, mujhe kuch yaad nahi."

Zarvan tezi se us guard ki taraf lapka aur uska collar pakar kar use deewar se laga diya. "Wo chai kisne di thi? Bolo! Batao warna tumhari zubaan abhi isi waqat tumhare halaq se khinch kar bahar nikal lunga!"

Guard ki aankhon mein maut ka khauf tha. "Wo... wo... Zeeshan! Zeeshan ne di thi!"

"Haan sahab," baki guards ek saath chillaye, "Zeeshan ne hi humein chai di thi!"

Zarvan ki aankhein angare ban gayi. "Zeeshan? Kaun hai ye Zeeshan? Kahan hai wo abhi?"

"Sahab... humein nahi pata. Wo... wo us waqt se nazar nahi aya," guard ne hichkichate hue kaha.

Zarvan ne Bakhtiyar ki taraf dekha, jo wahan khara pathar bana hua tha. "Bakhtiyar! Mujhe Zeeshan ka ID card, uska data, uska address... sab kuch la kar do. Abhi isi waqat!"

Bakhtiyar ka halq sookh gaya. Wo apni jagah se hilne ki himmat nahi kar pa raha tha.

Zarvan Khan tesh aur guse se dharty huye bola

"Ja rahe ho ya nahi?! Meri awaaz nahi aayi kya?!

Zarvan ka jalaal dekh kar Bakhtiyar ke paas koi chara nahi bacha. Zarvan Khan ke har nokar-chakr ka record mehfooz hota tha, isliye Bakhtiyar ko majbooran office jana para aur Zeeshan ka file nikal kar lana para.

Zarvan ne file jhatke se cheeni. Uske zehan mein ab ek hi maqsad tha—Zeeshan ko zinda pakadna, taake us tak pahunch sake jisne uski Dua ko usse cheen liya hai.

Zarvan Khan ki ragon mein khoon ki jagah ab aag daud rahi thi. Usne file dekhte hi Zeeshan ka photo apne dimagh mein mehfooz kiya file hath me pkri aur dahara, "Gaariyaan nikalo! Aglay das minute mein mujhy osk ghar par hona chahiye!"

Zarvan Khan gari me betha apny guards ko ly kr ab Zarvan Khan ki gaari sadak par kisi bijli ki tarah daud rahi thi. Har mod par tyre cheekhte thay, magar Zarvan ki nazar sirf us address par thi jo file mein darj tha. Bakhtiyar bagal wali seat par baitha tha, uske haath laraz rahe thay aur peshani par thande paseene ki boondein chamak rahi thin. Wo janta tha ke agar Zeeshan zinda mil gaya, toh uska apna anjaam likha ja chuka hai.

Zeeshan ke ghar pahunch kar Zarvan ne darwaza aise toda jaise koi barood ka dhabba phata ho. Zeeshan ki bivi samne aayi, jo dar ke mare kaanp rahi thi.

"Zeeshan kahan hai?!" Zarvan ki awaaz mein darinda-pan tha.

"Wo... wo abhi toh nikla hai... Hyderabad ja raha hai," aurat ki awaaz laraz gayi.

Zarvan ne ek pal ki der nahi ki. Wo wapis gaari ki taraf bhaga. Gaari mein baithte hi usne apna phone nikal kar ghaaz-numa lehje mein hukam diya:

Hyderabad jaane wale har raste ko block kar do! Har bus adday, railway station aur toll plaza par police ki nafri bhair do! Koi bhi Zeeshan naam ka shakhs is shehar ki boundary cross na kar paye. Agar kisi ne use nikalne diya, toh wo apna anjam had rkhy ga..

Bakhtiyar ka gala sookh gaya. Wo andar hi andar mar raha tha. Zarvan gaari ko Hyderabad highway ki taraf le uda. Uski aankhein road par thin, magar zehan mein sirf ek hi sawal tha—kya main Zeeshan tak pahunch paunga?

Tabhi Zarvan ka phone baj utha. Kisi police wale ki call thi.

"Sahab... Zeeshan mil gaya hai..."

Zarvan ka dil ek pal ke liye baith gaya. "Zinda hai?! Use pakdo!"

"Sahab... hum bohot der ho gaye," police wale ki awaaz mein khauf tha. "Yahan abhi koi do log aaye thay. Unhone Zeeshan par goliyaan barsaayin aur gaari mein farar ho gaye. Zeeshan ki mauqe par hi maut ho gayi hai."

Zarvan ne gusse mein phone ko gaari ke dashboard par de mara, screen chur-chur ho gayi. Usne ek pur-dard aur gusse bhari cheekh maari aur apna mukka gaari ke steering wheel par itni zor se mara ke haath se khoon behne laga.

"NAHI!!!"

Zarvan ki cheekh highway ke sannate mein goonj gayi. Wo paagal ki tarah steering par haath maarta raha. Zeeshan maut ke munh mein chala gaya tha—uske saath hi wo saara raaz bhi dafn ho gaya tha jo Dua tak pahunchne ka wahid zariya tha.

Bakhtiyar ne ghabrate hue bahar dekha. Wo andar hi andar shukar mana raha tha, magar Zarvan ki aankhon mein jo tabahi thi, usne Bakhtiyar ki saansein rok di thin.

Zarvan Khan ki zindagi ab ek aisi kashmakash mein phans chuki thi jahan har rasta maut aur nakami ki taraf ja raha tha. Zeeshan ki laash ke pass pahunch kar, Zarvan ne jab CCTV footage khangali, toh uski umeedon ka aakhri chiragh bhi bujh gaya. Gaari par koi number plate nahi thi, aur un kaatilon ne aisi safayi se kaam kiya tha ke koi nishan-e-pa tak nahi chora.

Zeeshan ki laash highway ke kinare par prhi thi. Zarvan wahan pohncha jaiza lia . zarvan ki aankhon mein wo aag thi jo pathar ko bhi pighla de.

phir wo cctv room me gya Usne monitor screen par ghoosa mara, "Koi nishan nahi?! Itni safayi se?! Ye mere saamne ho raha hai aur main bebasi se dekh raha hoon?!"

Police afsaraan uske samne kharay thay. Zarvan ki garaj ne unhe hila kar rakh diya, "Dhundo! Unhe dhundo! Mujhe nahi pata tum kahan se laoge, mujhe bas wo chahiye!

Agar ye shehar itna bada hai toh mere paas itni taqat hai ke main iska har kona chhaan sakta hoon. Aaj se har ghar, har basti, har building ki talashi hogi! Karachi ki khak tak chhaan loonga main, magar Dua ko dhund nikalunga!"

Zarvan Khan ne apne junoon ko ek naya rukh de diya tha. Ab wo sirf ek shakhs nahi, ek khauf ban chuka tha.

Ab Zarvan ki routine badal chuki thi. Subah ka suraj nikalne se pehle, jab shehar neend ki aagosh mein hota, Zarvan apni gaari mein nikla hota. Wo har us gali mein jata jahan kabhi koi shak ki gunjaish hoti. Uske aadmi har toll plaza, har chongi, aur har mohallay ke corners par kharay hotay.

Wo kabhi kisi karkhane ki chat par chadh kar binocular se poora area check karta, toh kabhi kisi purani imarat ke basement mein utar jata. Uska chehra ab fak (gaarha) par chuka tha, aankhon ke neeche gehre halqay (dark circles) ban gaye thay, aur daadhi badh chuki thi. Wo har guzarte pal ke sath toot raha tha, magar uski zidd use girne nahi de rahi thi.

"Dua..." wo aksar gaari mein bethy huye bolta, "Tum kahan ho? Kya tumhein bhook lagi hogi? Kya tum darr rahi ho? Bas thoda aur intezar kar lo... main pahunch raha hoon."

Wo har ghar ki talashi le raha tha, logon ki shikayatein, police ka dabao, kuch bhi Zarvan ko nahi rok raha tha. Jab raat hoti, toh wo wapis farmhouse aata, magar sone ke liye nahi. Wo wahan baith kar maps kholta, CCTV footage dobara dekhta, aur dua karta.

Uski zindagi ka maqsad ab sirf ek hi reh gaya tha—Dua ki talash. Wo Karachi ki har ek gali, har ek raaste ko apni mohabbat ki qurbani se naap raha tha. Uski rooh ab us dard se aashna ho chuki thi jahan insaan maut se nahi darta, balki us khamoshi se darta hai jo uski mehbooba ke na hone se phaili hui hai.

Bakhtiyar, jo ab bhi uske saath saaya ban kar ghoom raha tha, har lamha ye dua karta ke Zarvan kabhi us raaz tak na pahunche. Zarvan ki ye "khak chhanne" wali talash ab poore Karachi ko hila rahi thi.

Har guzarta din Zarvan ki zindagi se raunaq aur sukoon chheen raha tha. Har subah suraj nikalne se pehle wo apni gaari mein nikal jata. Wo har ghar, har mohallay, aur har us jagah ki talash karta jahan use zara sa bhi shak hota. Usne shehar bhar ki police ki nafri laga di thi, har raaste par uske aadmi taianaat thay, magar sab nakaam!

Zarvan ki aankhein gaarhi ho chuki thin, chehre par na-shukri aur thakawat ke nishan thay, magar uske andar ka shikaari abhi bhi zinda tha. Wo pagalon ki tarah Dua ko har jagah dhoond raha tha.

Magar sab se zyada takleef use is baat ki thi ke usne Dua se doori kyun ikhtiyar ki thi? Wo uska mohafiz (protector) tha, uska sahara tha, aur uski hifazat karne mein wo nakaam raha. Har raat jab wo thak kar choor hota, toh usay Dua ki yaad aati. Wo sochta, 'Maine kyun use akela chhora? Main kaisa mard hoon jo apni mohabbat ki hifazat nahi kar saka?'

Din, subah, sham... waqt ek lambi si qaid ki tarah guzar raha tha. Zarvan ki umeedein kam nahi ho rahi thin, wo ab bhi lad raha tha, magar andar se wo toot raha tha. Wo ek aisa aashuq tha jiski duniya uski aankhon ke samne dhuaan ban kar ur rahi thi, aur wo bebas tha.

Raat ka andhera apne urooj par tha. Farmhouse ke us kamre mein, jahan Dua ki mehak ab sirf ek yaad ban kar reh gayi thi, Zarvan wahan zameen par bikhra hua tha. Usne Dua ka wo dupatta uthaya jo wo aksar apne sar par liya karti thi. Dupatte ko apne chehre se laga kar, Zarvan ne apni aankhein band keen, aur phir jaise uske andar ka band toot gaya.

Wo rone laga—aisa rona jo kisi mard ki gehri bebasi aur toot-te hue dil ki pehli aur aakhri cheekh thi. Wo koi taqatwar Zarvan Khan nahi raha tha, wo ek majnu tha, ek deewana tha, jo apni mohabbat ko kho kar apni hasti bhool chuka tha. Uski cheekhein farmhouse ki khamosh deewaron ko cheer rahi thin.

Dua... Meri Dua..Meri bv." uski awaaz mein aisi tarseed aur dard tha ke koi pathar dil bhi pighal jaye.

Wo Dupatte ko chuumta aur phir apne seene se lagata, "Maine tumhein hamesha takleef di, hai na? Main hi sabab hoon tumhare mujhse door ho jaane ka. Main kitna bad-naseeb hoon ke maafi maangne ke liye mere paas tumhari baatein hain, tumhara wajood nahi."

Zarvan ne apna sar bed ke paaye se deewar ki tarah patka, "Maaf kar do mujhe! Mujhse baat karo, kaho ke tum mere paas ho! Main kya karoon Dua? Mera dil phat raha hai! Zarvan Khan toot gaya hai... andar se .

Uske aansu dupatta bhigo rahe thay. Usne upar chhat ki taraf dekha, uski surkh aankhon mein ishq ki inteha thi. "Na main tumse door hota, na tum mujhse cheen li jaati. Ye sab meri waja se hua hai. Mujhe ehsas hi tab hua jab tum chali gayi ke main tumse kis qadr mohabbat karta tha! Mere Allah... maine Oski na Qadri ki , isi liye tune mujhse Woh cheen li?"

Wo hichkiyan le kar rone laga, "Wo tmhara bhi Allah tha, wo mera bhi Allah hai... kya wo meri nahi sunega? Bas tmhari hi sunta thaa?? meri bhi toh suny ga naw, dekho na, main bhi toh ro raha hoon. Meri siskiyan kya kuch nahi ..Wapis aa jao... mujhse ye saza bardasht nahi ho rahi!"

Wo wahan rone mein itna mahv tha ke waqt ka ehsas hi jata raha. Tabhi, door masjid se fajar ki azaan ki awaz aayi. Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar...

Us azaan ki awaaz ne Zarvan ke dil ko ek jhatka diya. Usay Dua ka wo manzar yaad aaya jab wo isi kamre mein, isi waqt, apni ja-namaz bicha kar sar par dupatta liye khuda ke samne sajda-rez hoti thi. Uska sukoon, uska wo noorani chehra...

Zarvan jhatke se utha. Usne apne aansu ponchhay aur ladkhadati hui chaal se washroom ki taraf gaya. Thande pani se wazoo karte hue usne apna chehra dhoya, jaise wo apni ghaltiyon ko dhona chahta ho.

Wapis aa kar usne almari kholi. Uske haath kaanp rahe thay jab usne wo ja-namaz nikali jo Dua ki thi. Ja-namaz bicha kar, usne Qibla ki taraf rukh kiya. Wo Dua ki jagah khara hua tha. Usne namaz ki niyat bandhi, aur jese hi usne 'Allahu Akbar' kaha, uske dil ki saari jalan ek sajde mein simat aayi. Wo wahan khara ho kar, Rou raha thaa aur hath uthay Dua k liye Ashaq bar tha.. wo dua kar raha tha jo Dua mangti thi ke mera hum safar behtreen ho. Han wo behtreen ban gya thaa..