Akas-e-Mustaqil

Chapter3 :Hisaar-e-Zaat Se Farar

Budh ki raat ke do baj rahe the. Poori haveli par aik gehra, sangeen sannata chaya hua tha, lekin Ayat ke kamre mein khamoshi ke piche ek tufaan pal raha tha. Kamre ki dhiemi roshni mein dono behnein aamne-saamne khari thien—aik ke chehre par be-bassi aur khauf tha, to doosri ki aankhon mein aakhiri umeed aur deewanapan.

Dua ne kapkapatay hathon se Ayat ke hath jhatke aur dhiemi, khaufzada aawaaz mein boli, "Nahi Ayat... nahi! Yeh main nahi kar sakti..."

Ayat ki aankhon se aanso beh nikle. Us ne aage barh kar Dua ke hath dubara thaame, us ke lehjay mein ilteja aur deewanagi thi. "Dua, please mere sath chalo! Bas court tak hi to jana hai. Abdullah humein wahan se pick kar lega. Main nikah kar ke tumhare sath chup-chaap wapis aa jaoongi, ghar mein kisi ko pata bhi nahi chalega! Abdullah ne sab intezam kar rakkha hai, please..."

Dua ne khauf se ankhein band kar lein, haveli ki deewaron ka darr us ke dil mein baith gaya tha. Us ne sar jhatka, "Ayat, tum aisa soch bhi kyun rahi ho? Na main khud tumhare sath ja sakti hoon, aur na hi main tumhein jaane doongi! Please, meri baat maano, yeh raasta tabahi ka hai."

"Yeh meri zindagi ka faisla hai, Dua!" Ayat ka lehja achanak sanjeeda aur sangeen ho gaya. "Ghar walon ne parso mera nikah rakh diya hai... main yeh kisi soorat nahi kar sakti! Hum dono kal shopping ke liye ammi ke sath bahar jayenge na? Bas wahi hamara mauqa hai. Main wahan se ghaib ho jaoongi... ya phir tum bolna ke tumhein koi kitaab leni hai ya kuch bhi... bas kisi bhi tarah hum ammi se alag ho jayenge. Meri ammi ke phone se Abdullah se baat hui hai, wo sab sambhal lega. Bas nikah hi to karna hai, Dua... hamesha ke liye is azaab se nikalne ke liye!"

Dua ne khauf aur dukh se Ayat ki taraf dekha aur peche hat gayi. "Please Ayat, mujhe is maamle se door hi rakho. Main is sab mein tumhari koi madad nahi kar sakti... mazrat!"

Ayat ka dil toot gaya, us ki ilteja achanak aik thandi aur sakht khamoshi mein badal gayi. Us ne apne aanso ponchay aur aisi nazron se Dua ko dekha jo Dua ne pehle kabhi nahi dekhi thien.

"Theek hai..." Ayat ki aawaaz thar-tharayee, "Agar aisa hai... to aaj se tum se meri dosti khatm! Main tum se kabhi baat nahi karoon gi... kabhi bhi nahi!"

Ayat ke is sakht faislay aur un rutt-badaltay jumlon ne Dua ke dil par jese aik chot lagayi. Us ka poora wajood kaanp utha. Us ne tarapti hui nazron se apni behn ko dekha—wo behn jo us ki jaan thi, us ki dosti thi.

Dua sehm gayi, us ka darr aur jazbaat aik sath us ke gale mein atak gaye. Us ne larzte hathon se Ayat ki taraf qadam barhaya aur sehm kar, nihayat aahista se boli... "Ayat... meri behn..."

Lekin Ayat ne us ki aawaaz ko ansuna kar diya. Us ki aankhon mein aanso frozen ho chuke تھے aur chehre par aik ajeeb sa tammur tha. Wo bina aik pal ruke, peeth pher kar kamre se chali gayi. Darwaza dhieme se band hua, lekin us band darwaze ne Dua ke dil mein aik ajeeb sa khauf bhar diya.

Ayat ke jaate hi Dua ke sabar ka baandh toot gaya. Wo wahin farsh par baith gayi, apne ghutnon mein sar diye wo phat phat kar rone lagi. Khamosh kamre mein sirf us ki dhiemi siskiyon ki aawaaz goonj rahi thi. Aik taraf haveli ke sakht usool aur dadi ka khauf tha, aur doosri taraf us ki pyari behn ki zindagi ka sawaal... Dua ka dil is kashmakash mein buri tarah pis raha تھا.

Doosri taraf, dunya ke doosre kone yaani Karachi mein Jummarat (Thursday) ki subah ka suraj nikal chuka tha.

Zarvan Khan hamesha ki tarah nihayat ba-wuqaar aur tayaar halat mein apne kamre se nikla. Safaid karak shalwar-qameez mein us ki jalaal wali shaksiyat mazeed nikhri hui lag rahi thi. Kalai par qeemti ghari baandhte hue, wo halke magar pur-etemaad qadmo se seeryan utar kar neeche aya.

Neeche dining table par us ke papa, mama aur choti behn pehle se nashte ke liye baithay the. Zarvan halki si muskurahat ke sath aage barha aur apni choti behn ke sath wali kursi par baith gaya, jo college ki student thi. Zarvan ke laad-pyar ne use kaafi bigad rakkha tha, kyunke wo us ki jaan thi.

Zarvan Khan ne nihayat narm aur mohabbat bhare lehjay mein poocha, "Meri shehzadi ka laptop main ne us ke room mein rakh diya tha... wo mila kya use?"

Zunish ne khushi se chahakte hue kaha, "Ji bhai! Mujhe mil gaya. Yeh mera sab se favorite tha... thank you so much!"

Zarvan Khan ne us ki is khushi par dheemi si muskuraht di, "Hahaha!"

Zarvan ki mama ne juice ka glass table pr pas krty huye pyaar se danta, "Zarvan! Tum ne bhi is ki saari farmaishiyein poori kar kar ke ise sar par charha rakkha hai aur bilkul bigad diya hai."

Zarvan ne apni behn ke sar par hath rakha aur roap se muskuraya, "Aik hi to behn hai meri, mama."

Abhi haveli ke is pur-sukoon mahool mein yeh baatein chal hi rahi thien ke achanak wahan aik sangeen khamoshi utar aayi. Zarvan ke papa ka khaas mulazim tezi se andar dakhil hua aur un ke paas pohnch kar un ke kaan mein dhiemi aawaaz mein sargoshi karne laga. Saath hi us ne aik qeemti shadi ka card un ke hath mein thama diya aur mohtat qadmo se peche hat kar chala gaya.

Mulazim ke jaate ہی Zarvan ke papa ka mood achanak sakht off ho gaya, aur un ke chehre par fikarmandi ki lakeerein ubhar aayein.

Zarvan ki tez nazron ne yeh tabdeeli foran bhaamp li. Wo sanjeedgi se seedha ho kar baitha aur poochne laga, "Kya hua baba? Aur yeh kaisa card hai?"

Zarvan ke baba ne card par likhay namon ko dekha aur gehray lehjay mein bole, "Peshawar se shadi ka card aaya hai..."

Zarvan ke tewar achanak badle, us ke chehre par wahi purana dabdaba aur mazeed roap lout aaya tha. Us ne thoda aur jalaal se poocha, "Kiski shadi, baba??"

Zarvan ke baba ne aik thandi aah bhari aur card par se nazrein hata kar gehray lehjay mein bole, "Beta... choti bhai ki beti, Ayat ki shadi ka card hai."

Zarvan ne thori hairat aur sakhti se un ki taraf dekha. Us ke lehjay mein thora aur roap aa gaya tha jab us ne poocha, "To kya aap jayenge, baba?"

Is se pehle ke us ke papa kuch bolte, Zarvan ki ammi ka chehre gusse se surkh ho gaya. Purani baatein yaad aate hi un ke lehjay mein karwahat utar aayi. "Unhain kaise yaad aa gayi hamari? Yaad nahi hai... us do takkay ki Peshawar wali zameen ke peeche unho ne kaise aap par gun nikal li thi? Aur tabhi se hum ne Peshawar jana chora tha. Ab to bachay bhi bare ho gaye hain, ab kya jawaz hai wahan jaane ka?"

Zarvan ka gussa ab us ke chehre se saaf jhalak raha tha. Us ne apni gehri, jalaal bhari aawaaz mein faisla-kun andaaz mein kaha, "Baba! Koi zaroorat nahi hai jaane ki. Aur ab hamara Peshawar se kya wasta? Wahan jo hamari zameenein hain, wo hamare wafadar mulazim dekh rahe hain. Jab se hum nahi gaye, to ab wahan kyun qadam rakhein aise doglay logon ke yahan?"

Dining table par sangeen khamoshi chha gayi. Zarvan ke baba ne kuch pal sochne ke baad card ko meiz par rakha aur narm magar sanjeeda aawaaz mein bole, "Baat to tumhari theek hai beta... mujhe bhaiyon se koi gharaz nahi hai. Main apne chote bhaiyon ke beshak boht khilaf hoon... par bari bi, yaani tumhari dadi se... mera ab milne ko dil kar raha hai. Aur bahane se hum apni wo zameenein bhi dekh lenge, jo hum wahan mulazimon ke bharose chor aaye hain."

Zarvan ne apni gehri aur sakht aawaaz mein faisla-kun andaaz mein kaha, "Baba! Aap ko jana hai aap jayein... par main hargiz wahan nahi jaoonga jahan mere baap ki toheen ki gayi ho!"

Yeh bolte hi wo jalaal mein table se utha. Us ne aik zordaar ishara kiya aur Bakhtiyar aur digar mulazmeen ko liye darray jaane ke liye haveli se bahar ki taraf nikal gaya. Us ke qadmo mein wahi sangeen sargarmi thi.

Zarvan ke jaate hi us ki ammi ne fikarmandi se apne shohar ki taraf dekha, "Agar yeh nahi jayega, to main hargiz aap ko bhi wahan jaane nahi doongi! Un logon ka kya bharosa... akele mein pata nahi kya kar dein."

Zarvan ke baba ne sukoon se chai ka ghoot liya aur sanjeedgi se sar jhatka, "Kuch nahi hota... hum sab jayenge Peshawar! Mujhe apne bhaiyon se koi gharaz nahi hai, par main bari bi ki khatir jaoonga. Aur Zarvan se main khud baat karoon ga... dekhta hoon apnay baap ka hukam kaise taalta hai wo!"

Doosri taraf, Peshawar ki us pur-asraar haveli mein jumyrat ki dopahar ka waqt tha.

Dua, Ayat aur un ki ammi sab hijab aur niqab liye, burkhon mein lipti Dua ke baba ke samne khari thien. Haveli ke sakht maahool mein ijazat lena bhi aik azaab tha.

Ayat ki ammi ne dhiemi aur mohtat aawaaz mein kaha, "Bhai sahab, ijazat ho to main Ayat ki shopping ke liye bachiyon ko le ja rahi hoon. Dua ko bhi sath le ja sakti hoon?"

Dua abhi bhi Ayat ki taraf dekh rahi thi, jo raat ki wajah se us se sakht naraz thi aur us se nazrein chura rahi thi.

Itne mein Dua ke papa ne un teeno ko sarsari nazron se dekha aur sakhti se bole, "Haan le jao... par tum teeno auratein hi kyun ja rahi ho? Sarmad kahan hai? Use bhi sath le jao, achha hota hai sath koi mard jaye to."

Ayat ki ammi ne foran jawab diya, "Sarmad shadi ke card dene gaya hai, wo nahi ja sakta."

Dua ke walid ne aik pal ke liye socha, phir thode roap se bole, "Main bhi masroof hoon, mujhe kuch kaam niptane hain... aur bhai sahab (Ayat ke baba) sab hi masroof hain. Chalo, tum bachiyon ko le jao par khayal rakhna, ahtiyat ke sath."

Yeh kehte hue Dua ke baba ne aik gehri aur zeher bhari nazron se Ayat aur Dua ki taraf dekha. Un nazron mein aik ajeeb sa darr aur shubha tha, jese wo burkhay ke piche chupe tufaan ko bhaamp rahe hon.boly khier chali jao per magrib se pehly ajana.

Ayat ki dabi awaz k sth jee bhai sahb mein jldi bchiyo ko ly kar ajaoo gi ye kehy kr wo nikl gy.

Doosri taraf, Karachi ke darray par sargarmi urooj par thi. Zarvan Khan wahan ba-vauqaar baitha apne kaamo mein masroof tha, jab achanak darray ke bahar gariyon ke rukne ki aawaaz aayi. Zarvan Khan ne nazrein utha kar dekha, us ke baba digar aslaah-bardar guards ke sath darray ke andar dakhil ho rahe the.

Zarvan Khan khamoshi se unhein apni taraf aata dekh raha tha, us ki gehri aankhon mein sawal ubhre.

Zarvan ke baba ne paas aakar bina koi waqt zaya kiye boht hi sanjeeda aawaaz mein kaha, "Main ne Peshawar ki tickets karwa li hain... aaj hi hamari flight hai aur hum aaj hi ja rahe hain, hum sab!"

Yeh sunte hi Zarvan Khan ek dam apni kursi se khara ho gaya. Us ke chehre par jalaal utar aaya tha. "Baba! Aap aisa kaise kar sakte hain? Aap nahi jaante un doglay logon ne aap ke sath kya kiya tha? Kya hum phir bhi wahan ja kar apni naak katwa dein? Main hargiz wahan nahi jaoonga!" Zarvan ne gusse se zordaar lehjay mein bola.

Zarvan ke baba ke chehre par bhi baap wali sakhti aa gayi. Unhone Zarvan ki aankhon mein aankhein daal kar kaha, "Main yahan tum se koi mashwara lene nahi aaya, Zarvan! Yeh mera hukam hai aur is par ab koi behas nahi hogi."

Darray par majood sabhi mulazim aur guards saans rokay kharay the. Zarvan Khan ne roap aur ek ajeeb se garoor se apne baap ko dekha. Us ne aik pal ke liye apni gardan ko ajeeb tareeqay se ek question mark ki tarah hilaya—jese wo is faislay ko challenge kar raha ho, lekin baap ke adab ka lihaaz bhi tha.

Zarvan ke baba ne us ke is andaz ko ansuna karte hue aakhiri baat kahi, "Sab tayaariyan ho gayi hain, aaj hi shaam hum nikal rahe hain!"ajana

Yeh bol kar wo aik jhatkay se mure aur apne mulazmeen ke sath wapis chale gaye. Darray par ab sirf Zarvan Khan ke gusse ki tapan baaki reh gayi thi.

Doosri taraf, Peshawar ke us baray se shopping mall mein har taraf roshniyan aur rounaq thi, lekin Ayat aur Dua ke dilon mein khauf aur ghabrahat thier. Ayat ki ammi aik dukan par baithi kapray dekh rahi thien jab achanak Ayat ki nazrein door kharay aik shaks par parie.

Abdullah wahan bilkul aik ajnabi ki tarah khara tha. Us ne door se hi Ayat ko dekha aur usay aane ka ishara kiya.

Ayat ka dil tezi se dharakne laga. Us ne foran apni ammi ki taraf dekha aur boht mushkil se aawaaz nikalte hue boli, "Ammi... mujhe washroom jana hai."

Us ki ammi ne use thode ajeeb aur shaki tareeqay se dekha, phir kapray chorr kar khari ho gaeen. "Chalo aao mere sath, main bhi chalti hoon tumhein chorne."

Ayat ke hath-paon thandey par gaye. Us ne ghabra kar Dua ki taraf dekha aur ammi ko roka, "Nahi nahi ammi! Wo saamne hi to hai, aap log baitein is shop par. Main bas abhi ho aati hoon."

Ammi ne thoda sakht lehja apnaya, "Dua beta, tum jao is ke sath!"

Dua ne jab Ayat ki aankhon mein dekha to wo sab samajh chuki thi. Wo andar se buri tarah darr rahi thi aur ghabrahat us ke chehre se saaf jhalak rahi thi. Us ne larzti aawaaz mein kaha, "Chalo..."

Dono behnein wahan se nikal gaeen. Ammi ne dukan se murr kar unhein sach mein washroom ke andar jaate dekha, to wo thodi mutmaeen ho kar dobara kapray dekhne lag gaeen.

Lekin washroom ke baahir khari Dua ko Ayat ne wahin roka aur boli, "Dua, tum yahin khari raho... main abhi aati hoon, bas tum yahin rehna!"

Ammi se nazar bacha kar Ayat aik jhatkay se doosri taraf nikal gayi. Abdullah wahin mall ke ek koney mein khara use dekh raha tha. Jaise hi Ayat paas pohnchi, us ne Ayat ka hath pakra aur use mazeed koney mein legaya jahan koi unhein dekh na sake.

Ayat ne saans phoolte hue kaha, "Chalo Abdullah! Chalein yahan se... jaldi karo, time boht short hai!"

Lekin Abdullah wahin ruk gaya. Us ke chehre par wo jaldi nahi thi jo Ayat ki aankhon mein thi. Us ne gehri saans li aur bola, "Ayat ruko... main chahta hoon sab ke saamne nikah ho. Main chhup kar tum se nikah hargiz nahi kar sakta!"

Ayat ko jese ek boht bada jhatka laga. Us ki aankhein phat gaeen. "Shock mein... Yeh tum kya bol rahe ho Abdullah? Main sab kuch chorr kar tumhare paas aayi hoon!"

Abdullah ne aage barh kar Ayat ka rona dhona chehra apne dono hathon ke piyalay mein liya, us ki nazron mein mohabbat bhi thi aur darr bhi. "Dekho Ayat... tum apne ghar walon ki hi nahi, meri bhi izzat ho. Main nahi chahta ke tumhari izzat par koi daag aaye. Kal ko hamari beti ho, to hum use yeh na kahein ke hum ne bhaag kar shadi ki thi..."

Ayat ne tarp kar us ke hath jhatke, "Abdullah, yeh waqt nahi hai in baato ka! Tum samajh kyun nahi rahe ho? Kal mera nikah hai! Agar aaj hum ne yeh qadam na uthaya, to tum poori zindagi ke liye mujhe kho doge!"

Abdullah ne us ke shandho ko thama aur samjhate hue kaha, "Ayat, tum meri baat samjho. Main chalta hoon tumhare sath... main tumhare ghar walon ke saamne khara ho jaoonga aur unhein manaonga!"

Ayat ka rang khauf se safaid par gaya. Us ne sar jhatka, "Nahi Abdullah... nahi! Wo tumhein jaan se maar dein ge!"Abdullah!" Ayat ne khauf se kaanpte hue us ka haath thama, lekin Abdullah ki aankhon mein aik ajeeb sa sangeen faisla tha.

Doosri taraf, mall ke usii bheed mein, Dua washroom ke baahir khari bar bar ghari dekh rahi thi aur us ka dil dharak raha tha—aur har guzarta lamha usay qayamat jaisa lag raha tha.

Jabke doosri taraf... Karachi se Zarvan Khan k baba aur Zarvan Khan khud guards aslah lay kr family k sth nikl chuky thy Baap ke hukam ke aage jese tese Zarvan Khan ko jana hi prha or wo Peshawar ke liye rawana hua kyun ke wo apny baba ko akely bhi nahi bejh paya ...