Ijazat_€_Ishq

Chapter : 11 : Last clue ~

Subah ke kareeb das baj rahe thay.

Sultan Industry mein roz ki tarah kaam apni raftaar se chal raha tha. Employees apni files aur meetings mein busy thay, lekin Aaira ka dhyan aaj saamne rakhi files se zyada apne phone par tha.

Kal raat se woh ek hi message baar-baar padh rahi thi.

“Agar tum sach jaan-na chahti ho to purani haveli ke record room mein jao.”

Message ke neeche koi naam nahi tha.

Na koi pehchana hua number.

Sirf ek unknown number.

Aaira ne phone table par rakha aur chair ki back se tik kar aankhein band kar lein.

Uske zehan mein kal raat se ek hi sawaal ghoom raha tha.

Us anonymous shakhs ko kaise pata tha ke usne purani file dekhi hai?

Kya koi us par nazar rakh raha tha?

Ya phir...

Kya koi jaan-boojh kar usay us raaz ke qareeb la raha tha?

Aaira ne aankhein khol kar saamne rakhi file ko dekha.

Usne dheere se kaha,

“Jo bhi hai... pata karna hoga.”

Usne phone uthaya aur Shahmeer ko call kar di.

Do rings ke baad call receive hui.

“Assalamualaikum, AaRu.”

“Walaikum salam.”

Shahmeer ki awaaz sun kar Aaira ko thori tasalli hui.

“Bhai, aaj aap free hain?”

“Depends. Kyun?”

“Mujhe aapke saath ek jagah jana hai.”

“Kahan?”

Aaira kuch seconds khamosh rahi.

“Purani haveli.”

Doosri taraf achanak khamoshi chha gayi.

“Purani haveli?” Shahmeer ki awaaz mein hairani thi. “Kyun?”

Aaira ne foran jawab nahi diya.

“Bas... kuch purane documents dekhne hain.”

“Ammi ya Baba ko pata hai?”

“Nahi.”

“Aaira...”

“Bhai, please.”

Shahmeer ne gehri saans li.

“Theek hai. Lekin jo bhi baat hai, mujhe poori baat bataogi.”

Aaira ke honton par halki si muskurahat aayi.

“Promise.”

---

Purani Sultan Haveli

Dopehar se pehle Aaira aur Shahmeer purani Sultan Haveli pohanch gaye.

Ye haveli ab family ke rozmarra istemal mein nahi thi. Shehar ke purane ilaqe mein bani hui woh imarat waqt ke saath kuch purani zaroor hui thi, lekin uski shaan ab bhi qaim thi.

Bari lakri ka darwaza khula to caretaker unhein dekh kar hairan reh gaya.

“Aray, Shahmeer sahib! Aap?”

Shahmeer ne muskurate hue kaha,

“Bas purane records dekhne aaye hain.”

Caretaker ki nazar Aaira par padi to uske chehre par khushi aa gayi.

“Choti bibi?”

Aaira muskurayi.

“Ji.”

“Kitne saal baad aana hua.”

Aaira ne sirf halki si muskurahat ke saath sar hila diya.

Woh andar dakhil hui.

Haveli ke andar purani lakri ki khushboo aur band kamron ki halki si basi hawa mehsoos ho rahi thi. Deewaron par ab bhi purani family photographs lagi hui thin.

Aaira dheere-dheere aage barh rahi thi ke achanak uski nazar ek tasveer par ja ruki.

Woh ruk gayi.

Tasveer mein uske Baba jawan nazar aa rahe thay.

Unke paas Ammi khari thin.

Aur thora door...

Ek aur family khari thi.

Aaira tasveer ke qareeb gayi.

“Ye...”

Shahmeer uske paas aa gaya.

“Kya hua?”

Aaira ne tasveer ki taraf ishara kiya.

“Ye kaun hain?”

Shahmeer ne kuch seconds tak photo ko dekha.

“Mujhe nahi pata.”

Aaira ki nazar photo ke ek kone par ja tiki.

Wahan ek aadmi khara tha.

Chehra purani tasveer ki wajah se zyada clear nahi tha.

Uske paas ek chhota sa bachcha bhi khara tha.

Aaira ne tasveer ko gaur se dekha.

“Ye photo kab ki hai?”

Shahmeer ne frame ke neeche likhi date padhi.

“September... das saal pehle.”

Aaira ka dil ek pal ke liye tez dhadka.

September.

Usne foran tasveer se nazar hata li.

“Record room kidhar hai?”

Caretaker ne kaha,

“Upar wali side par hai, bibi. Lekin bohot purani files hain. Shayad aapko kuch mile bhi na.”

Shahmeer ne kaha,

“Chalein.”

Aaira ne ek baar phir photo ki taraf dekha.

Phir woh Shahmeer ke peeche chal di.

---

Record Room

Record room ka darwaza khulte hi dhool ki halki si smell hawa mein phail gayi.

Andar purani wooden shelves par dozens of files rakhi hui thin.

Shahmeer ne light on ki.

“Yahan to aadhi zindagi nikal jayegi.”

Aaira ne halki si muskurahat ke saath kaha,

“Bas ek file dhoondni hai.”

“Kaunsi?”

Aaira ne dheere se jawab diya,

“Shah Group.”

Shahmeer ka chehra foran serious ho gaya.

“Shah Group?”

Aaira ne sar hila diya.

“Das saal purani.”

Shahmeer ne uski taraf dekha.

“Tumhein is sab ke baare mein kaise pata?”

Aaira kuch pal khamosh rahi.

Phir usne kal ki sari baat Shahmeer ko bata di.

Purani file.

Baba ka ajeeb reaction.

Confidential envelope.

Aur anonymous message.

Shahmeer ne poori baat khamoshi se suni.

Phir bola,

“To tumhein lagta hai ke Baba humse kuch chhupa rahe hain?”

Aaira ne saamne rakhi files ki taraf dekhte hue kaha,

“Ab mujhe lagta nahi... mujhe yaqeen hai.”

Dono files dhoondne lage.

Kuch der baad Shahmeer ne ek shelf ki taraf ishara kiya.

“Yahan dekho.”

Aaira foran uske paas gayi.

Shelf se ek purani file nikali gayi.

Cover par likha tha:

Sultan Industries & Shah Group — Joint Venture

Aaira ne file kholi.

Pehle kuch pages wahi thay jo usne Baba ke office mein dekhe thay.

Project proposal.

Financial plan.

Meetings.

Approvals.

Lekin is file mein kuch extra papers bhi thay.

Aaira ek-ek page dekhne lagi.

Phir uski nazar ek handwritten note par padi.

“Meeting postponed — 7 September.”

Uski ungli date par ruk gayi.

“7 September...”

Shahmeer ne uski taraf dekha.

“Kya?”

Aaira ne jawab nahi diya.

Usne agla page palta.

Wahan meeting ke participants ke naam thay.

Haris Sultan.

Abdul Rehman Shah.

Aur ek teesra naam.

Ink phailne ki wajah se naam ka aadha hissa mushkil se padh raha tha.

Sami...

Aaira ne bhawein sikor lein.

“Sami?”

Shahmeer ne page dekha.

“Ho sakta hai naam kuch aur ho.”

“Ho sakta hai.”

Aaira ne foran us page ki photograph apne phone mein le li.

Phir usne agla page palta.

Wahan kuch nahi tha.

Page missing tha.

Sirf staple ke nishaan baqi thay.

Shahmeer ne page ko dekhte hue kaha,

“Ye page nikala gaya hai.”

Aaira ne dheere se sar hilaya.

“Exactly.”

Usi waqt bahar corridor mein halki si aahat hui.

Dono ek dum ruk gaye.

Shahmeer foran darwaze ki taraf gaya.

Lekin corridor khaali tha.

“Shayad caretaker hoga.”

Aaira ne file band kar di.

“Lekin—”

Uski baat mukammal hone se pehle neeche se kisi gaari ke start hone ki awaaz aayi.

Shahmeer window ke paas gaya.

“Yahan koi gaari khari thi?”

Aaira bhi uske paas aa khari hui.

Ek black car haveli ke gate se bahar nikal rahi thi.

Number plate clear nahi thi.

Shahmeer ne kaha,

“Maybe koi visitor.”

Aaira chup rahi.

Uske dil mein ajeeb sa khayal ubhra.

Ye sirf coincidence nahi tha.

---

Islamabad — Shah Group

Usi waqt Zayden apne office mein tha.

Uske saamne laptop par old records khule hue thay.

Assistant ne kaha,

“Sir, archive team ko original correspondence nahi mili.”

Zayden ne screen se nazar uthayi.

“Matlab?”

“Sir, project ki main file incomplete hai.”

“Kitni incomplete?”

“Agreement hai, financial reports hain... lekin September ki meeting ke records missing hain.”

Zayden kuch seconds chup raha.

“7 September?”

Assistant ne hairani se uski taraf dekha.

“Ji. Aapko kaise pata?”

Zayden ne koi jawab nahi diya.

Usne desk drawer khola aur woh purani file nikali jo use kal mili thi.

Ek page assistant ke saamne rakhte hue bola,

“Ye dekho.”

Assistant ne page padha.

Meeting — 7 September.

Phir usne poocha,

“Sir, is date ka kya significance hai?”

Zayden ne file band kar di.

“Abhi nahi pata.”

“Original records kahan hain?”

“Sir, last transfer record ke mutabiq kuch files Karachi office bheji gayi thin.”

“Karachi?”

“Ji.”

Zayden kuch seconds tak khamosh raha.

Phir usne kaha,

“Un records ki exact location confirm karo.”

“Ji, sir.”

Assistant chala gaya.

Zayden chair par peeche ho gaya.

Uske zehan mein achanak Aaira ka chehra ubhra.

Uski woh photograph...

Us par likhi hui date...

Aur kal uska ajeeb reaction.

Zayden ne dheere se kaha,

“Ye coincidence nahi ho sakta.”

---

Karachi — Purani Haveli

Aaira aur Shahmeer abhi record room mein hi thay.

Aaira ne file dobara kholi.

“Ek minute.”

Usne pages ko reverse order mein dekhna shuru kiya.

Ek document ke peeche kuch handwritten notes thay.

Aaira ki nazar ek line par ja ruki.

“Both parties agreed to keep the matter private.”

Neeche date thi.

8 September.

Aaira ne page Shahmeer ko dikhaya.

“Ye dekho.”

Shahmeer ne padha.

“Private matter?”

“Exactly.”

“Business deal ke liye itni secrecy unusual hai.”

Aaira ne haan mein sar hilaya.

Phir uski nazar ek aur line par padi.

“The decision was made by—”

Uske baad page ka hissa phata hua tha.

Aaira ne frustration mein file band kar di.

“Har important jagah page missing hai.”

Shahmeer ne kaha,

“Ho sakta hai kisi ne jaan-boojh kar nikale hon.”

Aaira ne uski taraf dekha.

“Ya phir kisi ne sambhal kar rakhe hon.”

Dono kuch pal chup rahe.

Tabhi Aaira ki nazar shelf ke neeche rakhi ek chhoti wooden box par padi.

“Bhai... ye dekhein.”

Usne box bahar nikala.

Box lock nahi tha.

Andar kuch purani photographs aur ek folded paper tha.

Aaira ne paper khola.

Us par sirf ek naam likha tha.

Sami Qureshi.

Aaira ki aankhein naam par tik gayin.

“Sami Qureshi.”

Shahmeer ne paper uske haath se liya.

“Kya ye wohi naam hai?”

“Shayad.”

Paper ke neeche ek purana office number bhi likha tha.

Aaira ne phone nikala.

“Number ab active hoga bhi nahi.”

Shahmeer ne kaha,

“Phir bhi save kar lo.”

Aaira ne number save kar liya.

Phir box ke andar se ek photograph nikli.

Photograph mein Haris Sultan, Abdul Rehman Shah aur ek teesra aadmi khara tha.

Teesra aadmi wahi tha.

Sami Qureshi.

Aaira ki aankhein photo par jam gayin.

“Ye aadmi kaun tha?”

Shahmeer ne photo ko gaur se dekha.

“Mujhe nahi pata.”

Aaira ne dheere se kaha,

“Main pata karungi.”

---

Unexpected Visitor

Aaira photograph ko apne phone mein capture karne hi wali thi ke neeche se haveli ka main door khulne ki awaaz aayi.

Shahmeer foran alert ho gaya.

“Kaun hai?”

Neeche se caretaker ki awaaz aayi.

“Sahib, koi aapse milne aaye hain.”

Shahmeer ne poocha,

“Kaun?”

Caretaker ki awaaz aayi,

“Naam nahi bataya.”

Shahmeer ne Aaira ki taraf dekha.

“Tum yahin ruko.”

Aaira ne foran kaha,

“Main bhi chal rahi hoon.”

Dono neeche ki taraf barhe.

Lekin jaise hi Aaira staircase ke paas pohanchi, uski nazar saamne kharay shakhs par padi.

Woh ek dum ruk gayi.

Zayden.

Zayden ki nazar bhi seedha Aaira par ja ruki.

Kuch seconds tak dono bas ek doosre ko dekhte rahe.

Phir Aaira ne bhawein uthayin.

“Aap?”

Zayden ne bilkul calm lehje mein kaha,

“Looks like hum dono ka taste in old places bhi same hai.”

Aaira ne foran jawab diya,

“Ya phir aap mera peecha kar rahe hain.”

Zayden ke honton par halki si muskurahat aayi.

“Believe me, Miss Sultan, mujhe aapka peecha karne ki zaroorat nahi.”

“Achha?” Aaira ne arms fold kar lein. “To phir yahan kyun aaye hain?”

“Old business records.”

Aaira ka expression serious ho gaya.

“Shah Group ke?”

Zayden ne uski aankhon mein dekhte hue kaha,

“Exactly.”

Shahmeer dono ko dekh raha tha.

“Wait...”

Usne hairani se kaha,

“Tum dono ko same records chahiye?”

Aaira aur Zayden ne ek doosre ki taraf dekha.

Zayden ne dheere se kaha,

“Apparently.”

Shahmeer ne sar hila diya.

“Great. Dono bilkul bachon ki tarah behave kar rahe ho.”

Aaira ne Zayden ko dekha.

“Main bachon jaisi nahi hoon.”

Zayden ne calmly kaha,

“Main ne to aapka naam bhi nahi liya.”

Aaira ne aankhein tang ki.

“Very funny.”

Zayden ke honton par halki si muskurahat aa gayi.

Lekin agle hi pal Aaira ka expression serious ho gaya.

“Aapko is deal ke baare mein kya pata hai?”

“Utna hi jitna tumhein.”

“Matlab?”

“Ke humein poora sach nahi bataya gaya.”

Aaira kuch pal khamosh rahi.

Phir poocha,

“Aapko 7 September ke baare mein pata hai?”

Zayden ka expression badal gaya.

“Haan.”

“Kaise?”

“Mere paas bhi old records hain.”

Aaira ne use gaur se dekha.

“To aap bhi investigate kar rahe hain.”

Zayden ne seedha jawab diya.

“Haan.”

Shahmeer ne dono ki taraf dekha.

“Phir jo mila hai, ek doosre se share karna hoga.”

Aaira ne foran kaha,

“Main apne documents share nahi karungi.”

Zayden ne halka sa smile kiya.

“Same.”

Shahmeer ne thak kar dono ko dekha.

“Tum dono ko ek hi din mein cooperate karna itna mushkil kyun lagta hai?”

Aaira ne jawab diya,

“Because I don't trust him.”

Zayden ne uski taraf dekhte hue kaha,

“Feeling is mutual.”

Aaira ne aankhein ghumayin.

“Good.”

“Good.”

Shahmeer ne dono ko dekha aur bas sar hila diya.

---

Aaira ne kuch pal baad apna phone nikala aur photograph screen par open kar di.

“Ye mila hai.”

Zayden ki nazar screen par padi.

Photograph mein Haris Sultan aur Abdul Rehman Shah ke beech ek teesra aadmi khara tha.

Sami Qureshi.

Zayden ka expression foran serious ho gaya.

Usne dheere se naam padha,

“Sami Qureshi...”

Aaira ne poocha,

“Aap jaante hain?”

“Nahi.”

“Phir itne surprised kyun hain?”

Zayden ne kuch seconds photo dekhi.

“Kyuki mere records mein bhi ek missing page hai.”

Aaira ne foran poocha,

“Us par kya tha?”

“Sirf aadha naam.”

“Sami?”

Zayden ne sar hila diya.

“Shayad.”

Dono ke darmiyan ek gehri khamoshi chha gayi.

Ab pehli baar unhein yaqeen ho gaya tha ke woh ek hi raaz ke peeche thay.

Aaira ne dheere se kaha,

“To iska matlab...”

Zayden ne uski baat mukammal ki.

“Das saal pehle jo hua tha, us mein ye aadmi involved tha.”

Shahmeer ne foran kaha,

“Ya kam az kam us waqt woh dono families ke business circle mein tha.”

Aaira ne photo dobara dekhi.

“Iska pata lagana hoga.”

Zayden ne kaha,

“Main already try kar raha hoon.”

Aaira ne uski taraf dekha.

“Main bhi.”

Dono ki nazrein mili.

Is baar unki aankhon mein usual competition nahi tha.

Sirf ek sawaal tha.

Asal mein hua kya tha?

---

The Last Clue

Zayden ne apni file kholi.

Usne ek photocopy Aaira ke saamne rakh di.

“Ye dekho.”

Aaira ne paper uthaya.

Us par likha tha:

“Meeting postponed due to an emergency involving one of the representatives.”

Neeche date thi.

7 September.

Aaira ne dheere se poocha,

“Representative ka naam?”

“Missing.”

Aaira ne paper ko dekha.

“Har jagah naam missing kyun hain?”

Zayden ne seedha jawab diya,

“Shayad kisi ne jaan-boojh kar remove kiye.”

Shahmeer ne kaha,

“Ya kisi ne records manipulate kiye.”

Aaira ne Zayden ki taraf dekha.

“Hum dono ke paas aadhi kahani hai.”

Zayden ne kaha,

“To phir aadhi-aadhi mila kar poori karte hain.”

Aaira kuch pal sochti rahi.

Phir boli,

“Temporary.”

Zayden ke honton par halki si muskurahat aayi.

“Temporary.”

Shahmeer ne dono ko dekha.

“Bas ek baat yaad rakhna. Agar ye family matter hai to jaldbazi mat karna.”

Aaira ne sar hila diya.

Zayden ne bhi.

Lekin dono jaante thay...

Ab woh peeche nahi hatenge.

---

Haveli Se Bahar

Haveli se nikalte waqt Aaira ne ek baar peeche mud kar purani building ko dekha.

Das saal pehle yahin kahin woh log maujood thay.

Haris Sultan.

Abdul Rehman Shah.

Sami Qureshi.

Aur ek aisa faisla...

Jis ne do families ko ek doosre se door kar diya tha.

Aaira ne apna phone nikala.

Unknown number ka message ab bhi screen par tha.

“Purani haveli ke record room mein jao.”

Usne message ko dobara padha.

Phir uski nazar Zayden par padi, jo kuch distance par apni car ki taraf ja raha tha.

Aaira ne dheere se socha,

“Kya tum bhi isi sach ki talaash mein ho, Zayden Shah?”

Zayden car ka door kholte hue achanak ruk gaya.

Jaise usay Aaira ki nazar mehsoos hui ho.

Usne palat kar dekha.

Dono ki nazrein ek baar phir mili.

Lekin is baar kisi ne kuch nahi kaha.

Dono apni-apni cars mein baith gaye.

Aur dono ke paas ab ek hi naam tha—

Sami Qureshi.

Lekin unhein ye nahi pata tha...

Ke das saal purane us raaz ka sabse important hissa abhi bhi unke saamne nahi aaya tha.

Aur jo sach saamne aane wala tha...

Woh sirf unke khandanon ka nahi,

balki Zayden aur Aaira ke darmiyan bani nafrat ki asal wajah bhi badalne wala tha.

To Be Continued...