Akas-e-Mustaqil

Chapter13 : Dil-e-Kashmakash

Zarvan Khan, jo kuch lamhe pehle Dua ko apne ghere mein liye hue tha, achanak ek jhatke se peeche hata. Usne apne dono haath apne sar par rakhe aur ek gehri saans li, "Uff... yeh larki!"

Uske andar ka ghussa aur uski majboori ke darmiyan ek ajib si jung jari thi. Usne khud ko sambhala aur sakht, aurat-azm lehje mein kaha, "Tum yahin raho, main bahar ja raha hoon. Guest room mein agar kisi cheez ki zaroorat ho toh Bakhtiyar ki biwi ko bata dena."

Woh tezi se darwaze ki taraf barha aur kundi khol kar bahar nikal gaya. Wo guest room ki janib barh hi raha tha ke achanak usay apni ek aadat yaad aayi. Uska favorite takya, jis ke bina usay neend aana na-mumkin tha, usi kamre mein reh gaya tha. Woh thora jhanjhla kar wapas mura aur dobara apne kamre mein dakhil hua.

Dua, jo uske nikalte hi sukoon ka saans lene wali thi, Zarvan ko wapas dakhil hote dekh kar thithak gayi. Usne apni aankhein gusse aur na-pasandgi se bhar kar Zarvan par gaarh di, jaise keh rahi ho—aap ab kyun wapas aaye?

Zarvan ne Dua ki taraf dekha tak nahi. Woh bed ke paas gaya aur apna wo khaas takya utha liya. "Mujhe is ke bina neend nahi aati," usne sard-meheri se kehte hue takya uthaya aur darwaze ki taraf barha.

Jaise hi Zarvan kamre se bahar nikla, Dua ne bina ek pal zaya kiye, bijli ki si furti dikhayi aur chat-pat darwaze ki kundi laga di.

Kharrrr... ki awaz ne kamre mein sannata phaila diya.

Zarvan Khan ne darwaze par kundi lagne ki aawaz suni toh wo wahi ruk gaya. Usne peeche mur kar apne hi kamre ke band darwaze ko dekha, jahan ab Dua andar thi aur wo bahar. Uske chehre par gusse ki surkhi phail gayi, magar uski aankhon mein ek ajeeb sa tajjub (surprise) bhi tha—kya yeh wahi masoom si Dua thi jo thori der pehle us se darr rahi thi?

Guest room ka bed Zarvan Khan ke liye kisi azab se kam nahi tha. Puri raat wo karwatein badalta raha, uska wahi purana takya bhi use sukoon na de saka. Gusse aur chirchirepan mein usne bed ki taraf dekha, "Uff! Kya karun... wo meri jagah aur mere kamre par qabza kar ke baith gayi hai!"

Dusri taraf, Dua Zarvan ke aalishaan bed par gehri neend ka maza le rahi thi. Uske liye wo bistar, wo narm gadda, aur Zarvan ke kamre ki khushbu ek ajib sa sukoon liye hue thi.

Dosri traf Peshawar mein

Subah ka sooraj nikalte hi, shehar se door Peshawar ki zameeno par Waqas Khan apne dono beton, Sheraz aur Sarim ke sath khada tha. Usne bade bete Sheraz ka kandha thapthapaya aur door tak phaili zameeno ki taraf ishara kiya.

"Beta, ye jo door tak zameen nazar aa rahi hai, ye sab ek din humari hogi," Waqas ne pur-israr lehje mein kaha.

Sheraz ne hairani se pucha, "Baba, par wo kaise?"

Waqas Khan ne zehreeli muskurahat ke sath jawab diya, "Bas tum dekhte jao, mere beto... sab sambhal lunga."

Dosri traf Karachi mein

Haveli mein subah ke 7 baj chuke the. Zarvan, jo puri raat na so paane ki wajah se boht chirchira tha, tayaar hone ke liye apne kamre ki taraf barha. Darwaza band dekh kar usne zor se dastak di, "Thak-thak-thak! Kholo darwaza!"

Dua, jo 10-11 baje tak uthne ki aadi thi, uski neend kharab hui. Wo jhallayi hui uthi, sar par dupatta dala aur aankhein malte hue darwaza khola. "Is waqt kaun aa gaya hai?"

Darwaza khulte hi samne Zarvan Khan ko takya liye khara dekh kar wo ek dam sakpaka gayi.

Zarvan ne sard lehje mein kaha, "Hamare yahan subah sab uth jate hain."

Dua ne bura sa munh banaya, "Main toh 10-11 baje tak uthti thi."

Zarvan ki aankhon mein gusa aya, "Haveli ki routine ab tumhe change karni hogi."

Dua ne himmat ki, "Aap yahan kyun aaye hain?"

Zarvan ne ek qadam aage barha kar Dua ko ghere mein liya, "Kya matlab? Ye mera kamra hai, main yahan nahi aa sakta?"

Dua ne neeche dekha, "Par main so rahi thi... aur jab tak main yahan hoon, aap is kamre mein kam aaya karein."

Zarvan ne thandi aur sakht sans li,"Ye tumhara kamra nahi hai! Tum toh aise keh rahi ho jaise ye kamra ab sirf tumhara hai aur mera koi taluq hi nahi."

"Nahi Zarvan Khan, aisi baat nahi hai..." Dua ne masoomiyat se safai dena chahi.

Zarvan ne uska jawab band karte hue kaha, "Mujhe ready hona hai aur dery par jana hai. Tum chaho toh dobara so jao, par mera dimag mat pkao. Tumhari wajah se main puri raat nahi so saka!

Zarvan tezi se apni cupboard ki taraf barha, ek pyaara sa cotton ka navy blue suit nikala aur bed par patka. Phir towel utha kar Dua ko ek gehri nazar se dekhte hue washroom mein dakhil ho gaya.

Dua wahin khari use jate hue dekhti rahi, aur dil hi dil mein ghut kar reh gayi—"Uff, main kahan phas gayi hoon!"

Dua ne thak kar bed se teek lagayi aur paon phaila kar baith gayi. Haveli ki us pur-sukoon fiza mein, thori hi der mein uski aankh lag gayi. Wo bed par hi baithe-baithe so gayi thi, aur neend ke jhonkon mein uski gardan ek taraf ko latak rahi thi.

Zarvan Khan washroom se naha kar nikla toh ye manzar dekh kar ruk gaya. Dua apni goad mein takya liye be-khabar so rahi thi. Uski mashoomiyat aur subah ki taazgi uske chehre se jhalak rahi thi. Zarvan ek lamhe ke liye usay dekhta reh gaya—wo kitni haseen aur pur-sukoon lag rahi thi. Uski gardan latakti dekh kar Zarvan ka dil na maana, wo aage barha aur apne haath se Dua ki gardan ko sahara diya taake wo thik se so sake.

Ek pal ke liye, Zarvan ke zehan mein nafrat ki jagah ek ajib si kashish ne le li. Wo sochne laga ke ye ladki kitni achi lagti hai jab khamosh hoti hai. Magar ye khayal purana na ho paya tha ke Dua ki aankh khul gayi. Usne jaise hi Zarvan ka haath apne chehre ke qareeb dekha, wo ek jhatke se piche hatti aur ghabra gayi.

"Zarvan... ye aap kya kar rahe hain?" Dua ki awaz mein khauf aur sawal tha.

Zarvan Khan ek dam se peeche huta, uska chehra foran sakht ho gaya, jaise wo apni is "narm-o-nazuki" par sharminda ho gaya ho. "Tum so rahi thi aur jhoom rahi thi, toh socha thik kar doon," usne rukhepan se kaha.

Dua ne apne aap ko samet kar kaha, "Aap mujhe is tarah haath nahi laga sakte."

Zarvan Khan ki aankhon mein phir wahi gussa chamak utha. Usne koi jawab nahi diya, bas khamoshi se apni kalai par ghari bandhi aur bina mud kar dekhe kamre se bahar nikal gaya. Wo kamre se bahar nikla toh uski chal mein wahi purana ghamand aur sakhti thi.

Haveli ka aangan subah-subah hi hungama-khaiz ho gaya tha. Zarvan Khan ne apna coat sambhala aur Bakhtiyar ko ishara karte hue kaha, "Bakhtiyar! Gari niklwao, aaj hum dery par jayenge."

Bakhtiyar ne hairani se dekha, "Par sahab... aapka bazoo? Abhi toh zakhm taza hai."

Zarvan Khan ne laparwahi se apne bazo par hath rakha, "Wo theek hai, ab uski fiqar chhoro."

Itne mein Zarvan ki maa wahan aa gayin. Unhon ne gusse bhari nazron se apne bete ko dekha, "Kahan ja rahe ho?"

"Dery par ja raha hoon. Agar khud nazar na rakhun toh ye sab kaam chori karne lagte hain," Zarvan ne sakhti se kaha. Maa ne fikar se kaha, "Beta, pehle khud ko toh theek hone do, phir chale jana."

Zarvan ne unki baat ansuni kar di aur guards aur Bakhtiyar ko lekar haveli se bahar nikal gaya.

Zarvan ke jate hi, uski maa dandanati hui seedhiyan charh kar Zarvan ke kamre ki taraf barhin. Dua, jo naha kar bahar aane ki taiyari mein thi, apni saas ko kamre mein dakhil hote dekh kar thithak gayi.

Maa ki aankhon mein aag thi. Woh Dua ke qareeb aayi aur nafrat se boli, "Tum yahan aayi ho sirf aur sirf nafrat ke khatir. Yeh mat samajhna ke tum mere bete aur is ghar par qabza kar logi!"

Dua ghabra kar peechay hat gayi. Maa ne use ghoorte hue kaha, "Tum katilon ka khoon ho. Yahan rehna hai toh tumhari haisiyat bas ek nokrani ki si hogi. Adhay ghante mein taiyar ho kar neeche aao aur kitchen sambhalo. Yahan maharaniyon ki tarah aaram karne ki koshish mat karna, samajh aayi?"

Dua ne darte hue bas sar hila diya. Wo janti thi ke ab uski zindagi ek aur naye imtehan se guzarne wali hai.

Dusri taraf, Peshawar ke us aalishaan ghar ki baithak mein Waqas Khan ek wakeel ke sath baitha hua tha. Uske samne kaghazaat ka ek dher tha.

Waqas ne muskurate hue pucha, "Mujhe kuch papers banwane hain, kab tak tayar ho jayenge?"

Wakeel ne files ko dekhte hue kaha, "Time lagega sahab... lekin agar aap paise thore aur badha dein, toh ye kaam jaldi nipat jayega."

Waqas Khan zor se hansne laga, "Hahaha! Tum bhi na... theek hai, jitne paise chahiye le lo, bas kaam jaldi hona chahiye."

Waqas ki aankhon mein ab wo sapna tha jo usne haveli ko harane ke liye bunna tha.

Dery ki pur-israr aur bhari fiza mein, Bakhtiyar chupke se dery ke ahan-e-darwaze se bahar nikla. Zarvan Khan andar masroof tha, isliye usne mauqa ghanimat jante hue foran Waqas Khan ka number milaya.

"Sahab," Bakhtiyar ne dhimi awaz mein kaha, "Zarvan Khan aaj hi dery par aa gaya hai."

Waqas Khan ki zehreeli muskurahat phone ki dusri taraf se mehsoos ho rahi thi, "Good. Tumhein tumhari raqam waqt par mil rahi hai, uska khayal rakho. Yeh batao, Dua aur Zarvan ka rishta kaisa chal raha hai?"

Bakhtiyar ne ghur-e-fikr kiya, "Sahab, kuch khaas nahi hai. Dono ke darmiyan duriyan hain, aur Zarvan ki maa ko bhi Dua bilkul pasand nahi. Sahab, aapki asli planning kya hai?"

Waqas Khan ne ek thandi aur khatarnak hansi hansi, "Hahaha! Bakhtiyar, tumhare samajh ki baat nahi hai. Meri planning ye hai ke tum un dono ko ek-dusre ke kareeb lao. Tum nahi jante, Dua hi meri shatranj ka wo sab se ahem mohra hai, jise main aakhir mein istemal karunga. Bichari Dua... use toh khabar hi nahi ke wo kahan phansi hai."

Waqas ne baat mukammal karte hue ek gehri saans li. Uska maqsad saaf tha—wo Dua ko is rishte mein itna uljha dena chahta tha ke jab wo Zarvan ke dil mein utar jaye, tabhi usay wahi chot pohanchai jaye jo Zarvan ko hamesha ke liye khatam kar de.

Bakhtiyar ne phone band kiya aur thori der ke liye wahin khara raha. Wo Waqas ki is chaal ki gehrayi ko samajh chuka tha—ab usay sirf khabrein nahi deni thin, balki aag mein ghee bhi dalna tha.

Dua ne wahi safed kapray pehne hue thay jo mulazma ne usay diye thay. Uske paas apne kapray bhi nahi thay, phir bhi wo khamoshi se tayyar ho kar, baal banaye neechay utri. Kitchen mein jate hi, jahan Bakhtiyar ki biwi aur deegar mulazmeen kaam kar rahe thay, sab usay dekh kar ruk gaye.

"Choti bibi, aap yahan kyun aa gayi?" Bakhtiyar ki biwi ne hairani se pucha.

Dua abi jawab dene hi wali thi ke peeche se Zarvan ki maa ke kadmon ki aahat sunayi di. "Ise maine bheja hai," unhon ne sakht lehje mein kaha. "Ab se ye bhi yahan tum logon ki tarah kaam karegi. Ise samjha do, kahan aur kya karna hai."

Dua bina kisi laalach ya zidd ke kaam mein lag gayi. Khana banane ke baad usay dusting ka kaha gaya, phir safai ka. Din bhar ki bhag-daur mein uske wo safed kapray ab matti aur dhool se aalooda aur mailay ho chuke thay. Shaam dhalne lagi toh usay raat ka khana banane ke liye dobara kitchen mein dakhil hona para.

Dua ki halat dekhne wali thi. Uske haath thak kar choor ho chuke thay, aankhon mein halkay halkay aansu thay magar wo zabardasti unhein rokay hue thi. Apne ghar mein usne kabhi itna kaam nahi kiya tha; wahan uski maa, chachi aur tai khana sambhal leti thin aur Ayat hamesha uske sath hoti thi, jis wajah se kabhi bojh ka ehsas tak nahi hua tha. Yahan, akeli, wo raat ka khana bana rahi thi aur thakaan se uske paon tak kaanp rahe thay.

Zarvan Khan dery se wapas aaya toh kamra khaali pa kar uski pareshani barh gayi. "Dua kahan hai?" usne khud se hi pucha. Phir guest room check kiya, wahan bhi na pa kar usne awaz di, "Bakhtiyar! Bakhtiyar!"

"Ji sahab?" Bakhtiyar foran hazir hua.

"Dua nazar nahi aa rahi, kahan gayi hai? Apni biwi se pucho," Zarvan ne gusse aur bechaini mein pucha.

Peeche se uski maa ki awaz aayi, "Woh kitchen mein hai! Yahan rehna hai toh kaam toh karne parhenge, maharani ko."

Zarvan ne hairat aur gusse se apni maa ko dekha, "Itne naukar-chakr hain yahan, phir iski kya zaroorat hai?"

Maa ne sard-meheri se jawab diya, "Wo bhi toh nokrani ki haisiyat rakhti hai, tumhare baap ke qatilon ki aulad hai wo."

Had ho gayi," Zarvan ne barbarate hue kaha aur gusse mein wapas apne kamre ki taraf barh gaya.

Raat ko jab sab khane ki mez par baithe, toh Dua khana sajane ke liye aayi. Uski halat dekh kar Zarvan Khan ki aankhein phati ki phati reh gayin. Uski aankhon ke samne Ayat ki shadi wala waqt aaya, aur wo pehli baar Dua ko is haal mein dekh raha tha—kapray matti se bhare hue, baal bikhray hue aur chehra thakaan se zard.

Dua ki taangein kharay kharay kaanp rahi thin. Wo kisi tarah table saja kar, larkharati hui wahan se nikli aur seedha Zarvan ke kamre mein ja kar gir gayi. Usne khana bhi nahi khaya tha.

Zarvan Khan khamoshi se yeh sab dekh raha tha. Uske dil ke kisi kone mein ek ajeeb sa dard utha. Woh khud se sawal kar raha tha—kya hona chahiye tha? Use toh khush hona chahiye tha ke uske dushman ki beti ki ye saza mil rahi hai, phir use bura kyun mehsoos ho raha tha? Zarvan ka zehan is kashmakash mein uljha hua tha ke kya uski nafrat ka nasha ab utarne laga hai?

Zarvan Khan ne khane ki mez par bas naam ka hi luqma liya tha. Uska dil wahan nahi tha. Uska zehan baar baar Dua ki wo thaki hui soorat aur kaanpte hue kadam yaad dila raha tha. Usne maa ki taraf dekha jo sakht nazron se wahan maujood thin, magar Zarvan ne koi baat nahi ki aur khamoshi se uth kar apne kamre ki taraf barh gaya. Uski maa ye sab ghoorti rahi, unhein mehsoos ho gaya tha ke Zarvan ka gussa shayaid ab kamzori mein badal raha hai.

Zarvan apne kamre ke darwaze par pohncha toh kundi khuli thi. Dua ne shaayd thakaan ki shiddat mein darwaza band karne ka hosla hi nahi paaya tha. Zarvan andar dakhil hua toh manzar dekh kar uske qadam wahin ruk gaye.

Dua bed par kisi murda si neend mein so rahi thi. Use apne hone ya na hone ka koi hosh nahi tha. Din bhar ke sakht kaam aur zehni dabao ne use is qadar tod diya tha ke wo apne kapray aur jootiyan utarne ki sudh-budh bhi kho chuki thi. Uske paon bed se neeche latak rahe thay aur uska sar ek taraf ko jhuka hua tha.

Zarvan kuch dair wahin khara use dekhta raha. Uska wajood ek ajeeb si kashmakash mein tha. Usay Dua se nafrat thi, magar is waqt uske andar ka insaan uski masoomiyat aur majboori par taras kha raha tha. Wo dheeray se aage barha aur bistar ke qareeb ruk gaya. Uska dil kiya ke wo uske sar par hath rakh kar use sukoon se sulaye, lekin usne foran apne haath piche kheench liye.

Nafrat... usne khud ko yaad dilaya, Ye tumhare baap ke qatilo ki beti hai.

Lekin Dua ki wo pur-sukoon, gehri neend mein dubi hui soorat dekh kar uski ye yaad-dahani bhi use be-asarr lagne lagi thi.