Akas-e-Mustaqil

Peshawar ki thandi, sardi mooli subah mein har taraf ek ajeeb sa dhundlka aur sune-pan ka raj tha. Haveli ke khule aangan mein khamoshi bikhri hui thi, bilkul waise hi jaise Dua ke dil mein ajeeb si khamoshi utar aayi thi. Us ne thithurte huyen hathon se apne chehre par kale chadar ka sakht parda thora aur sarak diya, taake us ki ankhon ke ansu kisi ko nazar na aa sakein. Log hamesha samajhte hain ke parda sirf chehre ka hota hai, par Dua ba-khoobi janti thi ke wo apne dukhon aur takaleef ko bhi is parde ke peeche chhupaye, is zindgi ki raah par ek anjan musafir ki tarah chal rahi thi. Dua ke abu boht sakht mizaaj ke insan the, jinhein betiyan boht bojh lagti thin. Dua ke liye ghar se bahar nikalna ya apni marzi karna ek khwab jaisa tha, har ijazat ke liye use ro ro kar minnatein karni parti thin. Wo ek nihayat masoom aur pardedar larki thi jo chup-chap apna har dukh seh jati thi. Inhi sardiyo ke shuruati dinon mein haveli mein ek nayi halchal shuru ho chuki thi. Dua ke doosre taya ki beti, Ayat, ki love marriage ki baatein chal rahi thin. Ayat muhalle ke hi ek larke, Abdullah, ko pasand karti thi, aur haveli ke mard is love marriage ke sakht khilaf the. Haveli ka sab se bada kamra is waqt ek maktal ka manzar pesh kar raha raha. Kamre ke andar Ayat ki dadi, chacha, Ayat ke baba aur khud Dua ke baba ek sath bethe is maslay par gehri discussion kar rahe the. Un sab ki roobdar aur gusse se bhari awazein kamre se bahar aangan tak goonj rahi thin. Gusse mein pagal Ayat ke baba ne mez par hath maar kar garajdar awaz mein kaha, "Hum apni beti ko jaan se maar dete hain! Agar us ne aesi ghalti ki to wo isi kabil hai! Khandan ki naak katwa di us ne. Mere jeete ji is haveli ki koi larki apni marzi nahi kar sakti!" "Aap bilkul sahi keh rahe hain bhai jaan," Dua ke baba ne nafrat se thookte huyen baat ko agay barhaya. "Larkiyan hoti hi aesi hain! Paida hote hi inhein dafan na karo to hamesha khandan ki ghaerat ka janaza nikalti hain. Ayat ki dadi ne apni laathi zameen par maari aur unki kaanpti par sakht awaz aayi, "Humein aesi aulaad nahi chahiye jo hamari pagri ko mitti mein mileyen. Faisla saaf hai, agar wo na maani to is haveli ke quwaad (rewayat) ke mutabiq us ka faisla kiya jaye!" Aangan mein khari Dua na chahty huye bhi unki unchi awaz sab sun paa rahi thi. Apne baap aur taya ke mohn se nikalne wale yeh bhenayanak alfaaz sun kar us ka jism darr se kanp utha. Us ne apne dono hath apne kaano par rakh liye, par unki ghazabnak awazein us ke dimaag par hatore ki tarah lag rahi thin. Us ki ankhon se be-ikhtiyar ansu beh nikle aur wo buri tarah darr se tharr-tharr kaanpne lagi. Us ka masoom dil is darr se dharak raha tha ke agar kabhi us se koi aesi ghalti ho gayi, ya unki nafrat ki nazar us par parh gayi, to yeh haveli use bhi zinda dafan kar degi. Haveli ke sab se bade kamre ke andar abhi behs chal hi rahi thi ke achanak darwaza aik zor-dar jhatkay se khula. Dua, jo bahar khauf se kaanp rahi thi, aik dam peeche hoi. Samne Ayat khari thi... us ke hathon mein unhi ke ghar se uthai hoi gun thi. Us ke chehre par ansuon ke sath sath aik aisi deewangi thi jo maut se bhi nahi darrti thi. Wo dhar-dharati hoi kamre ke beech-o-beech khari ho gayi aur gun apne baap ke samne phenk di. "Yeh lein gun! Maar dein mujhe jaan se! Chala dein goli taake aap sab ki roohon ko sakoon mil jaye!" Ayat ki awaz mein gham aur baghavat ka aesa tufaan tha jis ne kamre mein mojood har shaks ko sann kar diya. Ayat ke baba ki ankhein gusse se lal ho gayin. Unho ne mez par hath mara aur khare ho kar garaje, "Yeh tum kis tarah andar dakhil hoi ho?! Itni gustakhi... tumhari yeh himmat kaise hoi hamare samne is tarah aane ki?!" Abhi Ayat kuch bolti ke us ke peeeche se us ka bada bhai, Sarmad, jallad ki tarah kamre mein dakhil hua. Us ka chehre gusse se bhayanak ho raha tha. Is se pehle ke koi kuch samajh pata, Sarmad ne berahmi se Ayat ke baal muthi mein jakre aur use ghaseet-te huye baahar sehn mein la kar patakh diya. "Khud ko samajhti kya ho tum?! Hamari ghaerat ka janaza nikalogi?!" Sarmad ne sehn mein ghirati hoi Ayat par chilla kar kaha. Ayat ke moun se aik dardnak cheekh nikli. Sehn mein khari Dua apni chador bhool kar aik dam se ghabrati hoi Ayat ko bachane ke liye lapki. "Bhai jaan, choren isay! Khuda ke liye choren!" Dua ne rote huye. Agle hi pal Ayat ki ammi aur Dua ki ammi bhi roti hoi bhaag kar aayin aur Sarmad ko peeche dhakelne lagin. "Sarmad! Bas kar do, mar jayegi wo! Khuda ke liye choro apni behn ko!" Rone aur cheekhne ki awazein poori haveli mein goonj rahi thin. Magar haveli ke baqi mard—saare taya, chacha aur Dua ke baba—apni jagah se tassan mas na huye. Wo sab aur sath mein dadi, kamre ke darwaze par khare yeh tamasha pathar ki tarah dekh rahe the. Un ki ankhon mein zara sa bhi taras nahi tha, balke un ke chehron par nafrat thi. Haveli ka sehn is waqt cheekh o pukaar aur bhenayanak awazon se goonj raha tha, aur Dua ka masoom dil is qayamat khiz manzar ko dekh kar doob raha tha. Ayat ne rote huye bedardi se anso saaf kiye aur sehn mein bethe un pathar ke dilon ko dekhte huye cheekhi, "Islam bhi pasand ki shadi ka hukam deta hai! Aap log to insaniyat tak bhol gaye hain... aisa kya gunaah kar diya hai mein ne?!" Ayat ki awaz aur rona ab aik khaufnaak lalkar mein badal raha tha. Us ne haveli ke dar-o-deewar ko hilate huye tez awaz mein kaha, "Ab agar mera nikah Abdullah se nahi kiya... tou main bhaag jaoongi! Phir mujhe qatal karne mat aana, aur yeh mat bolna ke main ne aap ki izzat kharab kar di!" Bhaagne ka lafzi sunte hi Sarmad jaise tesh mein aa gaya. Us ki ankhon mein khoon utar aaya. "Zabaan darazi karti hai hamare samne?!" Us ne gusse mein pagal hote huye apna bhari hath Ayat ke chehre par thapr marne ke liye hawa mein buland kiya. "Nahi bhai jaan!" Dua aik dam se ghabrati hui, apni jaan ki parwah kiye bagair, dhal ban kar Ayat ke agay aa gayi. Usi pal Ayat ki ammi ne bhed-bhaav bhool kar aage barh kar Sarmad ka utha hua hath beech mein hi pakar liya. "Bas karo Sarmad! Bas karo... khuda ke liye ruk jao!" Ayat ki ammi roti hui chillayin. Haveli mein abhi bhi mardon ke gusse ki tharahat mojood thi, magar Dua ne is moqe ko ganwaye bagair roti hui, kanpti awaz mein Ayat se kaha, "Ayat... chalo mere sath. Kamre mein chalo, please khuda ke liye andar chalo!" Dua ne Ayat ka hath pakra aur use ghaseet-te huye haveli ke us andhere mahool se nikaal kar kamre ki taraf le jaane lagi, jabke us ka apna masoom dil darr ke maare seenay se baahar aane ko tha.. Dua ne aahista se Ayat ko apne kamre mein bithaya aur kaanpte huye hathon se darwaze ki kundi laga di, jaise wo baahar ke us khaufnaak tufaan ko andar aane se rokna chahti ho. Kamre mein dakhil hote hi Ayat zaro-zar rone lagi. Us ki hichkiyan bandh gayi thin. Dua se us ka yeh dukh dekha na gaya; us ne aage barh kar Ayat ko apne gale se laga liya. Wo khud andar se darr se kaanp rahi thi, magar is waqt wo Ayat ko mazboot karne ki koshish kar rahi thi. Ayat ne rote huye Dua ka dupatta pakra aur be-basi se boli, "Dua... main Abdullah ko kaise chor doon? Tum hi batao main kaise sabar kar loon? Main us ke bina ek lamha nahi reh sakti... main kya karoon? In zalimon ne mera mobile tak cheen liya hai, main us se baat bhi nahi kar sakti!" Dua ne Ayat ke ansu saaf kiye aur narm awaz mein samjhate huye boli, "Ayat, sabar se kaam lo. Ho sakta hai Allah ki isi mein koi maslihat ho. Tum... tum bhool jao Abdullah ko! Dekho, sab yahan is shadi ke sakht khilaf hain, wo tumhari shadi us se kabhi nahi karenge, tum bhi to is haveli ke riwaajon ko achhi tarah janti ho na." "Aise kaise bhool jaoon Dua?!" Ayat aik dam jhatkay se peeche hoi, us ki ankhon mein deewangi utar aayi thi. "Agar is ghar mein kisi ko meri parwah nahi hai, to mujhe bhi ab kisi ki parwah nahi hai! Main us ke sath bhaag jaoongi! Mujhe is raah par chalne ke liye inho ne khud majboor kiya hai!" Bhaagne ka lafzi sunte hi Dua ka rang khauf se safaid par gaya. Us ne darr kar Ayat ke hathon ko thama aur iltejaia andaz mein boli, "Nahi Ayat! Khudara... yeh qadam mat uthana! Yeh log jaan se maar denge tumhein... tum in mardon ke gusse ko nahi janti, please aesa kuch mat karna, main tumhare aage hath jorti hoon!" Ayat ne rote huye Dua ke dono hath pakre aur iltejaia andaz mein bola, "Dua... khuda ke liye mujhe mobile laa kar de do. Apni ammi ka mobile le aao na... meri bas aik baar Abdullah se baat karwa do. Main use bata to doon ke yahan ke halat kitne kharab ho chuke hain, wo be-khabar betha hoga!" Dua ne khauf se apna hath jhatka aur peeche hat-ti hui boli, "Nahi Ayat! Yeh boht khatarnak hai... tum hosh mein to ho? Baba ne bas ammi ko mobile dilaya tha, wo bhi tab jab wo umrah par gayi thin. Main ne to aaj tak kabhi us mobile ko hath bhi nahi lagaya... main kaise use chori chhupe lekar aaon? Agar kisi ne dekh liya, to meri izzat, meri saari umrah ka sarmaya aik pal mein chala jayega. Baba mujhe zinda nahi chorenge!" Ayat ne haar nahi maani, us ne rote huye Dua ke samne kaha, "Nahi kisi ko nahi pata chalega Dua... please, mere liye itna kar do! Main ne hamesha tumhein hi apni sagi behn maana hai, kya tum is mushkil waqt mein apni behn ko maut ke moun mein chor dogi?" Ayat ke ansuon aur us ki ilteja ne Dua ke masoom dil ko pighla diya tha. Wo aik aese raste par khari thi jahan aik taraf us ke baap ka khaufnaak gussa tha aur doosri taraf us ki behn ki zindgi. Haveli ke is khaufnaak mahool aur Dua ki be-bas zindagi se hazaron meel door... roshniyon ke shehar Karachi mein ek bilkul alag dunya abad thi. Karachi ke ek khamosh qabristan mein, thandi hawaon ke beech, ek uncha-pura aur roobdar shaks siya shalwar qameez aur shawl liye khara tha. Yeh Zarvan Khan tha. Us ki siah gehri ankhein, mazboot jism aur chehre par mojood gambhirta (seriousness) kisi ko bhi aik nazar mein mureed bana de. Wo wahan apni marhoom nani ki qabr par khara, nihayat khamoshi aur adab se dua kar raha tha. Us ke dil mein apni nani ke liye ek ajeeb sa rishta aur ahtiraam tha, jo us ke sakht mizaaj ke peechhe chhupa hua tha. Dua mukammal karne ke baad, us ne apne chehre par hath phera aur dheere se qabr se peeche hata. Bahar khari ek aali-shaan, chamakti hui siah gari ka darwaza guard ne foran khola. Zarvan dhar-dharata hua gari ke andar dakhil hua aur peechhe ki naram seat par baith gaya. "Ghar chalo..." Us ne apni bhari aur roobdar awaz mein driver ko hukum diya. Gari aahista se agay barh gayi. Zarvan ne apni jeb se cigarette ki dibbi nikali, dibi me bas aik hi cigrate thi, cigarette honton ke beech dabai aur lighter se use jalaya. Agle hi pal, dhuein ka ek lamba kash lagate huye us ne dhuan hawa mein udaya. Us ki gehri ankhein gari ke sheeshe se bahar bhaagte shehar ki roshniyon ko dekh rahi thin, Doosri taraf, Dua kaanpte huye hathon mein apni ammi ka mobile chupaaye tezi se apne kamre mein dakhil hui. Us ne jhat se peechhe mud kar darwaze ki kundi lagayi, jaise wo kisi boht bade gunaah mein shareek ho rahi ho. Us ka saans phoola hua tha aur chehre par khauf saaf nazar aa raha tha. "Yeh lo Ayat... main boht mushkil se ammi ka phone lekar aayi hoon. Tum jaldi se baat kar lo... magar yaad rakhna, use sakhti se bolna ke meri ammi ke mobile par kabhi dobara call ya message nahi karega, kabhi bhi nahi! Agar baba ko pata chal gaya to qayamat aa jayegi," Dua ne haanpte huye mobile Ayat ki taraf barhaya. Ayat ne jhatpat phone pakra, us ke kaanpte huye angoothe ne screen par Abdullah ka number dial kiya aur call laga di. Ek do bell ke baad jaise hi doosri taraf se call uthai gayi, Ayat ke moun se be-ikhtiyar hichki nikal gayi. "Hello... Abdullah!" Ayat ne rote huye kaha. Dua door khari khauf aur be-basi se bas apni behn ko dekh rahi thi, us ka apna dil dhar-dhar kar raha tha. "Abdullah... mujhe yahan se le jao, khuda ke liye mujhe yahan se nikaalo! Yahan ab kuch bhi theek nahi hai. Jab se tumhara rishta aaya hai, yeh log mere sath boht bura salook kar rahe hain... mujhe jaan se maar denge yeh log!" Ayat ne rote huye be-basi se lalkara. Doosri taraf se Abdullah ki deemi aur fakar-manda awaz aayi. Wo Ayat ko samjhate huye bola, "Ayat... meri baat suno. Main bhi tum se shadi karna chahta hoon, tumhein apni zindagi banana chahta hoon, par sab ke samne izzat ke sath. Main nahi chahta ke kal ko jab hamari beti ho, to use yeh pata chale ke us ke maa-baap ne bhaag kar shadi ki thi. Main tumhari izzat par koi daag nahi lagne dena chahta." Ayat ne mazeed rote huye,be-basi se kaha, "Lekin Abdullah... main kya karoon? Abdullah ne gehri saans li aur nihayat narm magar mazboot awaz mein bola, "Ayat... tum bas intezar karo sahi waqt ka. Allah hai na hamare sath? Wo hamari mohabbat ko zaye nahi hone dega. Please... mat ro tum, tumhara rona mera dil tor deta hai." Ayat abhi mazeed rote huye kuch kehna hi chahti thi ke achanak kamre ke lakri ke bhari darwaze par zor-dar dastak hui. Thak... Thak... Thak! "Beta... darwaza kholo!" Bahar se Dua ki ammi ki awaz aayi. Dastak sunte hi Dua aur Ayat dono ke kaleje moun ko aa gaye. Dua ka chehra khauf se zard par gaya, us ne tezi se Ayat ko ishaara kiya. Ayat ne jhatpat rote huye hichki ko roka aur phone par tezi se boli, "Abdullah... is number par dobara phone nahi karna kabhi bhi! Main khud tum se rabta karoongi..." Is se pehle ke Abdullah kuch kehta, Ayat ne kaanpte huye hathon se call kaat di. Dua ne lapak kar phone pakra aur use tezi se chador ke peechhe chhupaya, jabke Ayat ne jaldi se apne ansu saaf kiye. Dua ne andar tak kaanpte huye aage barh kar darwaze ki kundi kholi. Samne ammi khari thin, un ke hathon mein khane ki tray thi. Un ke chehre par abhi bhi baahar ke jhagray ka khauf aur thakan saaf nazar aa rahi thi. Wo dono ko khana dene aayi thin. Idhar kamre mein ammi khana rakh kar ja chuki thin, magar baahar sehn mein haveli ke mardon ke dilon ka zehar abhi thanda nahi hua tha. Wo sab dobara usi bade kamre mein bhetay aik khaufnaak saazish ko pakka kar rahe the. Ayat ke baba ne nafrat se thukte huye kaha, "Is larki ne hamari ghaerat ko bazaar mein la kar khara kar diya hai. Is se pehle ke yeh muhalle ke us do takey ke Abdullah ke sath bhaag kar hamare moun par kaalik male, is ka nikaah jald az jald kisi aur se karna hoga!" "Aap bilkul theek keh rahe hain," Dua ke baba ne apni zehrilee hasi hanste huye baat ko agay barhaya. Kisi bhi aese shaks ko dhoondien jo isay yahan se le jaye, chahe wo umer mein is se dugna hi kyun na ho! Is ki marzi aur pasand ki aisi ki taisi." Dadi ne apni laathi zameen par thonki, un ki ankhon mein koi reham nahi tha. "Humein is ki khushi nahi, apni pagri ki bachauni chahiye. Kal suraj nikalte hi rishta pakka karo aur agle do dinon mein is ka nikah parha kar isay is ghar se dafa karo. Yeh larki is ghar ke liye aik manhoos saaya ban chuki hai, isay jitna jaldi ho sake kisi aur ke gale maro!" Ayat k bhai Sarmad ne bhi guse se kaha, "Main khud dhoondta hoon is ke liye aesa mard jo is ki saari aashiqi ek din mein bhoolwa dega. Dekhta hoon phir yeh kaise us Abdullah ka naam leti hai!"