chapter 23

Usne tez awaz mein poocha. "Zainab," usne kaha, kyun ke CLI window pe Zainab ka number tha Usne apne baap ko Zainab ke baare mein koi shak na ho is liye Jalal tak pohanchne wale kisi bhi shakhsat se."Kis liye?" "Mujhe Javeria ke liye usse paigham dena tha," usne kuch hichkichahat ke saath kaha."Mujhe batao, main usse khud pohancha dunga. Imama, sach batao, kya tum kisi aur se dilchaspi rakhti ho?" usne koi shor o shai ke bina poocha.Woh usse thodi der tak dekhti rahi, phir kaha, "Haan." Hashim Mubeen heran ho gaye. Usne apne alfaz dobara kiye aur Imama ne tasleem kiya. Be ikhtiyar, usne usse ek thappad mara. "Yehi meri khauf tha." Imama, apne khayal mein khoyi hui, ab bhi uske gaal pe haath rakha, usse dekhti rahi. Yeh uski zindagi mein pehli dafa tha ke usne usse mara, uski pasandida beti-woh yeh nahi maan sakti thi. Aansoo uske gaalon pe gime lage."Tumhe kisi aur se shadi karne ki ijazat nahi hogi, sirf Asjad se shadi kar sakti ho. Agar tumhe kisi aur se dilchaspi hai, to usse bhool jao... Abhil Kabhi nahi, kabhi nahi, kabhi nahi main tumhe kisi aur jagah shadi karne nahi dunga! Ab apne kamre mein chali jao, aur agar main tumhe phir bhi phone ke qareeb dekha to tumhare tang tod dunga! Uska badan gusse se kaanp raha tha.."Baghair kisi baat ke woh apne kamre mein laut aayi aur apne bistar pe gir kar ro padi. Uske baap ki shadeed reaction ko uske dil par bardasht nahi ho rahi thi. Bohat der tak ro kar, jab usne uthaya to bina soche samjhe, woh sealed glass ke khidki se bahar dekhne lagi. Neeche uske ghar aur uske haweliyon ka bagh tha. Uski nazar Salar ke ghar ki deewar par pari. Uska kamra neeche tha; woh wahan kuch harkat dekh sakti thi aur samajh sakti thi ke yeh Salar hai. Yeh uspar tezi se asar kiya! Agar woh usse apni pareshani bata de aur use Jalal se rabta karne ke liye mana le, to uski mushkil hal ho sakti thi. Magar usse usse kaise rabta karna tha. Usne zor lagaya aur yaad kiya ke Salar ke mobile number uske gaadi ke peechle screen par likha tha. Usne us number ko dobara yaad kiya aur ek kaghaz par likh liya. Phir teen baje raat ko, woh ahat bina lounge mein chali gayi aur Salar ko call kiya.Salar so raha tha jab uska cellphone beeping shuru hua. Ringtone jaari rehti thi, to usne ghusse se apne bistar ke paas haath daala. "Hello,' usne neend mein bola. Imama ne uski awaz pehchani. "Hello?' usne dobara kaha. 'Salar, main hoon, Imama, usne kaha. Woh kehne wala tha 'Imama kaun?' lekin usne jhatke se baith gaya. Usne naam ke saath hi awaz bhi pehchani. 'Main Waseem ki behan hoon.' 'Mujhe pata hai," usne bulb jala diya aur apni ghadi ki taraf badha. Abhi tees minute ka the. Line ke doosri taraf khamoshi thi. "Hello,' usne dobara kaha. 'Salar, mujhe tumhari madad chahiye, usne kaha. Usne muskurahat ko samjhne ki koshish ki. 'Maine ek baar tumhari jaan bachai thi aur ab mujhe tumhari madad chahiye. Usne uski baat suni.. "Mujhe Lahore mein kisi se rabta karna hai, lekin main nahi kar sakti.' 'Kyun?' 'Kyunki koi phone nahi utha raha hai." 'Is waqt tum... Usne uska jawaab kata, "Mujhse bas suno. Main din mein bhi nahi call kar sakti aur shayad kal raat ko bhi nahi-mujhe ijazat nahi hai... Main chahti hoon ke tum is number aur address ko note kar lo aur Jalal Ansar se rabta karo. Use puchna ke kya usne apne walidain se baat ki hai aur agar ki hai to unki kya rai hai, aur use batana ke mere walidain ne meri shadi ki taarikh tay kar di hai aur mujhe Lahore se nikalne nahi denge jab tak ke main shadi na kar loon.'"Salar bistar pe baith kar apni kambal ghutnon tak utha kar Imama ke phone number aur address sun raha tha. Usne isay likhna nahi chaha-uski zarurat nahi thi."Aur agar mujhe koi jawab na mile to?" usne poocha."To phir Lahore ja kar use mil jana," Imama ne bheek mangte hue kaha. "Yeh mere liye bohat zaroori hai.""Agar woh mujhse puche ke main is picture mein kaise aa gaya hoon...""Usse jo bhi kehna hai kaho-mujhe is se koi dilchaspi nahi hai. Mujhe sirf is musibat se nikalna hai," usne kaha."Kya tumhe behtar nahi lagega ke tum khud usse baat kar lo?" Salar ne kaha."Maine tumhe bataya hai ke abhi woh call nahi utha raha, aur shayad mujhe dusri mauka bhi na mile," usne jawab diya.Salar chup raha aur usne phone kat diya, mayoos mehsoos kar ke.Salar ne apna phone band kar diya aur jigsaw ko jodne ki koshish ki: Imama Hashim... Jalal Ansar... rabta... walidain se baat karo... zabardasti ki shadi. Usne Imama se nahi poocha tha, lekin usne uske rishte ko samajhne ki koshish ki. Yeh dilchasp tha ke Imama jaisi larki is tarah ki mamlaat mein shaamil ho sakti thi-aur Salar ke liye uske nafrat ke bawajood, woh uski madad maang rahi thi. "Yeh aurat kya karne ki koshish kar rahi hai? Mujhe istemal karne ki koshish kar rahi hai ya phir mujhe fasane ki koshish kar rahi hai?" usne socha.Woh peechhe murh kar let gaya aur neend ki koshish ki, lekin usko neend nahi aayi. Usne Waseem aur uske parivar ko kuch saalon se jaanta tha aur Imama ko bhi kabhi kabhi dekha tha, lekin kabhi bhi gehrai se usse nahi dekha tha. Usko uske baare mein zyada nahi pata tha. Apne parivar ke mukablay mein, Waseem ke parivar thoda purani riwayat rakhta tha is liye woh unke ghar itni aasani se nahi ja sakte the jitni woh doosre doston ke ghar ja sakte the. Usko is baat se koi fark nahi padta tha kyunki usne samjha ke logon ke apne riwayat hote hain, lekin usko Imama ke jazbat aur mizaj ka kuch andaza tha.Magar Imama ki call ne use chonkaya aur woh bechaini se idhar udhar idhar gaya."Imama apne kamre mein wapas aayi aur baith gayi. Usse mehsoos ho raha tha ke uske pait mein uljhan hai-uski zindagi kuch ghanton mein palat gayi thi. Raat bhar usne neend nahi ki. Wo nashta ke liye bahar nahi aayi-uski bhook gayab ho gayi thi. Aaround das baje, usne car ki awaazein suni jo porch se nikal gayi. Uske abbu aur bade bhai unke daftar chale gaye honge-usne unka jaane ka intezar kiya. Hashim Mubeen ke rawana hone ke aadhe ghante baad hi usne kamre se nikalna shuru kiya...........Uski ammi aur bhabhi lounge mein thi. Imama ne phone ke liye haath badhaya, lekin uski ammi ne awaz di. Tumhare abbu ne kaha hai ke tum phone na istemal karo."Main Asjad ko call kar rahi hoon, Imama apni ammi ko dekhte hue boli.'Pichli raat ki wohi bekaar batein use bataogi? uski ammi ne jawab diya.'Main tumhare saamne hi usse baat kar rahi hoon... mujhe bolne do. Agar kuch galat kaha to tum call kaat sakti ho, Imama ki awaz stable aur shaant thi. Uski itminaan uski ammi ko rahat pohancha rahi thi.Imama ne number dial kiya lekin yeh Asjad ka number nahi tha: jo shakhs phone uthaya woh Jalal tha. Imama ke jism mein ek dard bhara jazba daur gaya.Hello, yeh Imama hai,' usne pur sukooni se kaha, Asjad ka naam na liye.Tum ne mujhe bina bataye Islamabad kyun chhoda? Main ne hostel ja kar tumse milne ki koshish ki, Jalal ne kaha.'Main kal Islamabad aayi thi, Asjad, usne jari rakha. "Asjad? Tum kisse baat kar rahi ho?' Jalal hairan tha.'Baba ne kal raat bataya ke shadi ki tareekh tay ho gayi hai, Jalal ke liye yeh jaise ke bijli ka jhatka tha, lekin Imama ne shaant se baat karna jari rakha.'Mujhe pata karna hai ke tumne apne walidain se baat ki hai ya nahi. Main kisi aur se shadi nahi karna chahti, is liye unse baat karo aur mujhe batao, usne kaha.Main nahi kar paaya... Jalal ko achanak yeh samajh aaya ke Imama ke aas paas koi hai-yahi wajah thi ke usne use Asjad samajh liya.Main unse baat karunga. Tum mujhe kab call karogi?" Tum hi batao kab, usne kaha. 'Kal call karna. Shadi ki tareekh kya hai? uske awaz mein pareshani thi. Usse tareekh ka pata nahi tha, lekin usne usse ye ashwasan diya ke woh is masle ko apne walidain ke saath hal kar lega.Imama ne use shukriya kaha aur alvida kiya. Usko acha laga ke na to uski ammi ne samjha ke usne Asjad ke ilawa kisi se baat ki thi,Tumhari shadi tumhare abbu aur Azam Bhai ne tay ki hai, aur woh tum ya Asjad ke liye isko postpone nahi karenge, uski ammi ne zyada dheemi awaz mein kaha.""Ammi, mein bas market ja rahi hoon-mujhe apne liye kuch cheezen leni hain," Imama ne apni ammi ko jawab na denay ke bajaye kaha.Tumhe telephone istemal karne ki ijazat dena ek baat hai, lekin tum ghar se bahar nahi jaogi. Tumhare abbu ne mujhe aur chowkidar ko bhi mana kiya hai ke tumhe bahar jane na dein, uski ammi ne jawab diya.'Ammi, tum log mujhe aise kyun treat kar rahe ho? Mein ne shadi se inkaar nahi kiya-bas yeh keh rahi hoon ke mujhe apna house job pura karne ki ijazat di jaye," Imama baybas baith gayi.'Mujhe samajh nahi aata ke tum shadi ko kyun deri kar rahe ho-tareekh agayi hai lekin yeh rishta tumhari marzi ke khilaf nahi hai,' Imama ki bhabhi ne usse samjhane ki koshish ki.Ghar mein puri raat se tension hai bas tumhari wajah se. Tum mujhe hairan kar rahi ho, Imama-tum kabhi itni ziddi nahi thi. Tumhe kya ho gaya hai? Kuch hua hai tumhe Lahore jane ke baad.." Aur hamari khwahishon ka koi asar nahi hoga, yeh bata doon. Tumhare abbu ka faisla ho chuka hai, uski ammi ne izafa kiya."Magar kam az kam tumhe unse baat karne ki koshish to karni chahiye thi, Imama ne İtiraz kiya.'Kyun? Agar koi cheez manzoor nahi thi to maine zaroor baat ki hoti-lekin aisa kuch nahi tha, uski ammi ne jawab diya.Gusse mein Imama apne kamre mein wapas chali gayi..                           ......♡.......Gair khususiyat se, Salar dair se utha.Jab usne waqt dekha, to usne college na jane ka faisla kiya. Uske walidain Karachi mein thay aur woh ghar par akela tha.Woh TV dekh raha tha jab naukar uska nashta laya. Usse kuch yaad aaya aur usne nokrani Nasira ko bulaya, jo thodi dair mein aa gayi."Mujhe tumse ek kaam hai," usne adhi umr ki aurat se kaha."Tumhari beti Waseem ke ghar kaam karti hai, theek? Woh wahan kis waqt jati hai?"Salar ne remote control neeche rakha aur uski taraf dekha."Haan, woh wahan hai... woh abhi wahan hai." Woh uski taraf thoda hairan hokar dekhti hai."Kyun? Kya hua, Salar sahib?""Kuch nahi. Mujhe bas yeh mobile usay dena hai. Usse kehna yeh phone Imama ko de." Salar ne aaram se cell phone pakraya.Nasira pareshan thi. "Mujhe aap ki baat samajh nahi ayi, sir.""Yeh phone apni beti ko do aur usse kehna ke yeh Imama ko de de bina kisi ko bataye," usne dheet pan se kaha"Lekin kyun? Aur agar kisi ko pata chal gaya to?""Tumhe jaan'ne ki zaroorat nahi," usne tez lehje mein kaha, "aur logon ko tabhi pata chalega agar tum ya tumhari beti apne bade moonh kholengi. Aur tumhari museebat hogi agar aisa kiya... lekin agar tum chup raho to yeh raaz rahega aur tumhara bhi faida hoga."  Continue ✍️ ✍️ ✍️