Akas-e-Mustaqil

Chapter4 : Muhabat Shar hai?

Mall ke andar kapron ki dukan par baithi Ayat ki ammi ka sabar ab jawab de raha tha. Kaafi der guzar chuki thi aur dono bachiyon ka kuch pata nahi tha. Unhon ne achanak peche mur kar dekha to un ki nazrein washroom ke baahir khari Dua par parie. Dua wahan bilkul akeli, buri tarah ghabraee hui aur sehmi hui khari thi, us ki nazrein lagatar farsh par tikee thien.

Ammi ne thode shak aur sakhti se aage barh kar poocha, "Dua! Yeh Ayat abhi tak kyun nahi aayi? Itna waqt kyun lag raha hai andar?"

Dua ka dil jese halaq mein aa gaya. Wo darte aur sehmte hue haklayee, "Wo... wo..."

Us ke paas koi jawab nahi tha, lekin is se pehle ke ammi mazeed kuch poochte, doosri janib se Ayat aati hui dikhaee di. Us ka rang safaid para hua tha aur us ki udas, bhari hui aankhein saaf bata rahi thien ke andar koi gehra tufaan guzar chuka hai. Us ke qadam boht bhari the.

Ammi ne use dekhte hi sawalon ki bauchhar kar di, "Tum wahan kahan se aa rahi ho? Washroom to is taraf hai, tum kahan gayi thi?"

Ayat ne apni ammi ki baat ko bilkul ansuna kar diya, jese us ke andar kuch toot gaya ho. Wo be-jaan lehjay mein boli, "Chalein ammi..."

"Ayat, bolo bhi! Kahan se aa rahi ho tum?" Ammi ne us ka hath pakarna chaha, lekin Ayat bina koi jawab diye, tezi se chalti hui seedhi mall se bahar ki taraf nikal gayi.

Us ke peche us ki ammi hairat aur gusse ke milay-julay jazbaat se kabhi Ayat ko jaate dekhtien to kabhi Dua ki taraf dekhtien, jo un ke samne aik baray sawaliya nishan ki tarah khari thi. Dua ne khamoshi se apna sar jhuka liya aur kuch kahe bina Ayat ke peche bhaagi.

Ammi bhi bad-fawaas si un ke peche aaeen. Poore raste aik ajeeb, sangeen khamoshi chhaee rahi. Ayat aage aage thi aur Dua aur ayat ki ammi ke sath chalti chalti gari ki taraf rawana ho gayi. Teeno ke dilon mein alag alag khauf tha, aur haveli wapis jaane ka safar ab aur bhi bhari ho chuka tha.

Gari ki pichli seat par sangeen khamoshi thi, lekin Ayat ki ammi ka gussa ab zabt se bahar ho chuka ek barood tha. Unho ne achanak gusse se Ayat ka mou pkr kr apni traf kr k bola:

"Tumhein to main ghar ja kar dekhti hoon!" Unhon ne chabaye hue lehjay mein kaha. Ayat ne ab bhi khamoshi se gardn dosri traf ki aur khidki ke bahar dekhny lgi , us ki khamoshi us ke andar ke sab se bare dukh ki gawaah thi.

Doosri taraf, haveli ke baray sehan mein is waqt qayaamat ka mahool tha. Dua ke papa gusse se larzte hue apni maa (Dua ki dadi) ke samne khare the, un ke chehre ki ragein tanni hui thien.

"Yeh aap kaise kar sakti hain, amma?!" Dua ke papa ki aawaaz haveli ke dar-o-deewar se takraayi. "Aap ne kaise Farjat Khan (Zarvan Khan k baba) ko yahan bula liya? Aap ko nahi pata kya hua tha hamare darmiyan? Ab wo mera dushman hai!"

Dua ki dadi ne apni laathi farsh par maari aur un ki rudaad-shuda, thos aawaaz ne sab ko khamosh kar diya. "Tum dono bhaiyon ko kya ho gaya hai? Bas karo ab! Wo bhi mera beta hai... aur main kitne saalon se use nahi mili. Bas tumhari is nafrat ki khatir... aur us ki Karachi rehne ki zid ki khatir! Nahi to meri to yehi khwahish thi ke mere chaaro bete aur un ke bachay mere sath yahan rahein, mere paas..."

Abhi dadi ki baat poori nahi hui thi ke Ayat ke aba (jo ke teesre bhai the) aage barhe aur dukhay hue lehjay mein bole, "Par amma... aap to jaanti hain na? Aap jaanti hain sab ke wo kaise hamari zameeno ko harap rahe the! Sab un ki akele ki mehnat nahi thi. Main ne aur bhai jaan ne bhi boht mehnat se kamayi thien wo zameenein... aur hamare hissay mein un mein se kuch khas nahi aaya. Yeh baat aap ko bhi pata hai!"

Haveli ke deewaron mein purani dushmani aur zameen ke jhagray ki karwahat dobara goonj rahi thi.

Lekin dadi ammi ne aik jhatkay se un dono ki taraf dekha, un ki aankhon mein maa wala roap aur dabdaba tha. "Bas kar do tum dono! Main tumhari maa hoon. Jo mera faisla hai, wo mera faisla hai! Kisi ko agar kisi se nahi milna to mat mile... par main miloongi, aur zaroor miloongi!" Unhon ne faisla-kun andaaz mein keh kar behas hi khatam kar di.

Abhi sehan mein dadi aur un ke beton ke darmiyan yeh sangeen behas chal hi rahi thi ke achanak haveli ka bhaari darwaza khula. Ayat roti hui, buri tarah bhaagti hui andar dakhil hui. Us ne kisi ki taraf nahi dekha aur aanso bahaati hui seedhi apne kamre ki taraf bhaagi aur andar se darwaza zor se band kar diya.

Us ke peche peche Dua aur Ayat ki ammi bad-fawaas si andar aaeen. "Ruko Ayat! Ruko..." Ammi ne use rokna chaha, lekin sehan mein majood dadi aur sab bhaiyon ko dekh kar un ke qadam wahin jamm gaye.

Ayat ki dadi ne apni gehri, tez nazron se unhein dekha aur jalaal se poocha, "Kya hua bibi? Kahan ja rahi ho? Aur yeh tilmilati hui apne kamre mein kyun gayi hai?"

Ayat ki ammi ne darr kar thook nigla aur ghabraate hue jhoot bola, "Wo... wo amma... aap ko to pata hai na us ka mizaaj aaj kal aisa hi ho raha hai."

Dadi ammi ne laathi farsh par maari, "Theek kar lo is ka mizaaj! Kal is ka nikah hai aur is ke mizaaj hi nahi mil rahe? Kesi maa ho tum... ek beti nahi sambhaali ja rahi tum se?"

Ammi ne khauf se sar jhukaya, "Main... main abhi jaati hoon amma, samjhati hoon use. Aap pareshan na hon."

"Haan haan! Samjhao ise ja kar, kahin hamari naak na katwa de yeh!" Dadi ne sakhthi se hidayat di.

Wahain khari Dua peche hatne lagi to Dua ki ammi ne use aawaaz di, "Dua! Tum kahan ja rahi ho? Yahan aao, boht kaam karne hain abhi shaadi ke!"

Dua ne saans rokay hue jawab diya, "Ji ammi... aayi." Aur wo khamoshi se apni ammi ke sath chali gayi, halanke us ka dhyan ab bhi Ayat ke band darwaze par tha.

Sehan mein ab dadi aur un ke teeno bete majood the. Dadi ne achanak apne sab se chote bete ki taraf dekha aur sawaal daaga, "Tumhari biwi ka kuch pata hai ke nahi? Aur tumhari beti Fajar aur Shaban bhi aa rahe hain? Nani ke ghar hi rehna hai unho ne ya yahan bhi aana hai?"

Ayat ke sab se chote chachu ne adab se sar jhukaya aur narm aawaaz mein bole, "Ji amma! Bas un ka college wahin paas hai to unhein wahin chora hua تھا. Aaj hi aa jayenge wo dono. Aur meri biwi ka... to aap ko pata hai, kuch hi din hue hain gayi hai wo."

Dadi ammi ne unhein ghoor kar dekha, "Haan miyan! Hum thori kuch bol rahe hain tumhein. Tum to apni marzi se chalte ho. Bula lo ab un sab ko... kal nikah ki takreeb hai, mujhe yahan ek ek shaks chahiye, aa gayi samajh?"

"Ji amma, samajh gaya." Unho ne foran sar hila diya.

Ayat apne bistar par ulti leti, takye mein moonh chhupaye zaar-o-qataar ro rahi thi. Us ki hichkiyan bandh chuki thien aur kamre ki khamoshi mein us ke rone ki dhiemi aawaaz goonj rahi thi. Us rote hue, us ka zehen achanak piche chala gaya... mall ke usii koney mein, jahan abhi kuch der pehle Abdullah ne us ka chehra apne hathon mein liya tha. Us ka aik aik lafz Ayat ke dimaag mein dharak raha tha.

"Main tumhein bhaga nahi sakta, Ayat! Main sab ke saamne boloonga ke mujhe tum se nikah karna hai!" Abdullah ki aawaaz mein ek ajeeb sa darr aur pakka pan tha.

Ayat ne khauf se kaanpte hue us ke hath pakray the, "Nahi... nahi Abdullah! Tum samne mat aana, koi baat mat karna! Yeh log... yeh log tumhein jaan se maar dein ge!"

Abdullah ne us ki aankhon mein dekha, us ki apni aankhon mein bhi aanso ubhar aaye the. "Maar hi dein ge na? Kam az kam hum roz roz to nahi marein ge! Yeh to nahi hoga na ke hum ne bina kuch kiye haar maan li? Mujhe le chalo sath... main dekhta hoon kaise hoti hai tumhari shadi kisi aur se!"

"Nahi Abdullah... nahi!" Ayat ne rote hue, boht mushkil se Abdullah ke hath apne chehre se hataye. Us ka dil phat raha tha. "Main itni khudgarz kaise ho sakti hoon ke apne sath sath tumhein bhi maut ki khai mein dhakel doon? Mere Abdullah... main haar maanti hoon!" wo zaro kitaar rouny lgi..

Abdullah ki aankhon mein be-basi aur aanso saaf jhalak rahe the. Us ne tarap kar kaha, "Ayat! Main mana loonga... mujhe maut ka khauf nahi hai, Ayat!" Us ne aage barh kar Ayat ke aanso saaf karne chahe, lekin Ayat ne dheere se us ka hath hata diya.

"Bas... tum khush rehna hamesha." Ayat apni namm aankhon ke sath aik dardnaak muskurahat muskuraee aur boli, "Bas mujhe bhool jana... aur jis se bhi shadi karo, jis se bhi... meri jagah use dena aur us ke sath aik achhi zindagi guzarana."

Usi lamha Ayat ne murr kar door se washroom ki taraf dekha, jahan Dua ke paas un ki ammi aakar khari ho chuki thien aur Dua ko ghoor rahi thien. Waqt khatam ho chuka tha.

Ayat ne tarap kar Abdullah ki taraf dekha aur aakhiri baar boli, "Main chalti hoon Abdullah... Allah ki amaan mein raho."

ose aesa lga ke wo thori deir bhi agr aur ruki oska dil phat Jay ga..

Wo chal di .. Abdullah be-sabar aur roti hui aankhon se door tak Ayat ko jate hue dekhta raha, jese us ki zindagi us se door ja rahi ho...

Achanak, Ayat ke kamre ke darwaze par aik zordaar dastak hui: Thak! Thak! Thak!

Us bhaari aawaaz se Ayat jhatkay se us dardnaak khayal se baahir aayi, jo abhi abhi us ke sath badd-kismati se ho chuka tha aur jis ki wajah se wo abhi tak ro rahi thi. Us ne ghabra kar darwaze ki taraf dekha.

Darwaze par dobara zordaar dastak hui. Bahar Ayat ki ammi khari thien, un ki aawaaz mein gusse aur fikar ki mili-juli sakhti thi, "Ayat! Beta darwaza kholo, mujhe baat karni hai tum se!"

Ayat ne takye se moonh uthaya. Us ka poora chehra aansoon se bheega hua tha aur saans ukhri hui thi. Us ne mushkil se apne kapray sambhaale aur rotay hue uth kar darwaze ki taraf barhne lagi. Lekin jese hi us ne do qadam aage barhaye, use apna sar bhaari lagne laga. Kamre o deewar, sab kuch aik ajeeb tareeqay se ghoomta hua dikhai diya. Us ki aankhon ke aage bhed aur andhera chha raha تھا.

Us ne kisi tarah girte-parte darwaze ka lock khola. Jese hi darwaza khula aur us ki ammi andar dakhil hudaieen, unho ne aate hi sawalon ki bauchhar kar di, "Ayat! Tum darwaza kyun nahi khol rahi thi? Tum sunti nahi ho meri baat? Tumhari wajah se aaj mujhe dadi se itni baatein sunni parhi hain!"

Ammi ne gusse mein us ka hath pakarna chaha, "Kahan gayi thi tum mall mein? Batao... batao mujhe!"

Lekin Ayat, jo is waqt apne hosh o hawas mein thi hi nahi, us ke andar mazeed bardasht ki taqat khatam ho chuki thi. Us ka jism bilkul be-jaan sa hua aur wo aik jhatkay se dharaam se zameen par gir gayi, jese koi sadiyon ka bimaar ho. Us ki aankhein band ho chuki thien aur chehra safaid par chuka tha.

"Ayat! Ayat... kya hua tumhein?!" Ammi ka gussa ek pal mein khauf mein badal gaya.

Unhon ne tarap kar zameen par baithte hue Ayat ka sar apne hathon mein liya aur use jhinjhodne lagien. "Ayat, aankhein kholo! Amma jaan, koi daudo... Dua! Bhai sahab! Dekho meri bachi ko kya ho gaya!" Unhon ne zordaar shor macha diya, aur un ki cheekh se poori haveli ek dam larz uthi.

Ayat ki ammi ki cheekh-pukaar sun kar haveli ke sabhi log bhagte hue kamre mein ikhtay ho gaye. Sab ke chehron par afra-tafri thi, lekin dadi ammi ke chehre par wahi sakhti aur be-ruki thi.

Dadi ne aate hi daanta, "Kya drama lagaya hua hai tum sab ne?!"

Ayat ki ammi ne roti hui aankhon se unhein dekha, "Amma! Meri bachi... dekhein ise kya ho gaya hai!"

"Mar gayi hai kya?" Dadi ne nihayat be-rehemi se tanz kiya, "Zinda hi hai na? Behosh hi hui hai na!"

Ayat ki ammi ne nihayat bedardi aur dukh se pehle dadi ki taraf dekha aur phir Ayat ke papa ki taraf, jin ke chehre par fikar se zyada gussa tha. Itne mein Dua aur us ki ammi bhi bhaagti hui andar aagaeen. Dua foran zameen par baithi aur Ayat ka hath pakar kar rona shuru kar diya, "Ayat! Ayat... kya hua? Tai jaan, Ayat ko kya hua hai? Ayat, utho na!"

Ayat ke papa ne sehan ki taraf rukh kiya aur gusse se mulazim ko aawaaz lagayi, "Shakir! Shakir... driver ko bolo gari nikale, hospital le kar jana hai isay! Is larki ne to meri naak mein dam kar ke rakh diya hai!" Haveli mein kal ke nikah se pehle aik naya tamasha khara ho chuka tha.

Karachi se Peshawar pohnchne wali aslaah-bardar gariyan achanak ek baray, aalishan farm house mein dakhil hudaieen. Gari se utarte hi Zarvan Khan ke baba ne sukoon ki saans li aur bole, "Thanks God! After all... Peshawar pohnch hi gaye!"

Zarvan Khan gari se utra, us ka jalaal aur gussa ab bhi aasman par tha. Us ne apne aakhiri guard ko hukam diya, "Bakhtiyar! Jao, yeh saman rakhwao ja kar."

Hukam de kar Zarvan ne apne baba ko nihayat ajeeb aur sangeen nazron se dekha. Us ke lehjay mein zeher tha, "Acha nahi kiya aap ne, baba! Mujhe bhi aap ki wajah se yahan aana parha hai, warna main hargiz yahan na aata. Mujhe nafrat hai aap ke is khandan se!"

Farjat Khan (Zarvan ke baba) ne dabar kar kaha, "Zarvan Khan... bas karo, boht hua! Tumhare kehne par hi hum haveli nahi gaye. Hum is farm house mein stay karein ge aur sirf shadi mein jayenge, bas! Aur phir wapis Karachi chale jayenge. Aur yahin se tum yahan wali zameenein bhi dekhoge... ab tum aur kya chahte ho, Zarvan? Bas ab!"

Zarvan Khan ne apne baap ko dekha. Us ke chehre par wahi ajeeb, mardana guroor tha. Us ne bina kuch bole, ek jhatkay se apni gardan ko jhatka aur gusse mein wahan se bahir nikal gaya. Wo chalta hua farm house ke swimming pool ke paas aaya. Us ne apni pocket se cigrate nikali, use sulgaya aur pool ke paas khara ho kar us ka ek boht gehra kash lene laga. Dhuein ke badalon mein us ka gussa saaf dikh raha tha.

Doosri taraf, haveli ke ek koney mein biche janamaz par Dua apni namaz mukammal kar chuki thi. Us ne jese hi salam phera, us ki aankhon se aanso chhalak paray. Us ne dua ke liye apne dono hath uthaye aur larzti aawaaz mein rona shuru kiya:

"Aey Allah! Tu Raheem hai, Tu Kareem hai... Tu to dilon ke haal ba-khoobi jaanta hai mere pyare Rab! Meri behn Ayat ko sehat de dein, wo theek ho jaye mere Allah... use sabr ata kar. Us ke mamle mein to behtareen jaanta hai, 'Kun Faya Kun' farma de aur use sabr de... Aur mere liye apna khas karam nazil kar, main apne tamam mamlaat tere hawale karti hoon... Aur Tujh se panah maangti hoon shaitan ke shar se... aur muhabbat ke shar se..."