Chapter 100: ּ ֶָ֢.CH99

Aasman ki ujli neeli rangat mein kahin kahin safed baadal phaile huay nazar aa rahe the. Chamkilli dhoop lawn ka sabza nikhre hue thi. Mrs. Shirazi glass wall ke samne baithi thee. Mudhat unke samne chai ka cup rakh rahi thi.

Faris lounge mein baitha channel surfing kar raha tha. News channel laga kar cushion ko sar ke neeche rakhta easy ho kar baith gaya. Mulazma French fries ki plate table par rakh kar chali gayi.

Usi lamhe Jannat bedroom se nikal kar kitchen ki taraf jaati hui dikhai di. Rayyan uske saath hi tha. Woh uska feeder banane lagi thi.

Rayyan denim mein malboos us ke paas hi khada tha. Chhote chhote qadam uthata kitchen se bahar aa gaya.

Woh side table tak gaya. Phir ghoom kar doosri taraf, khushida khidkiyo ki janib jahan neela aasman nazar aa raha tha. Sheese par nate nate haath rakhe apni naak tika kar bahar dekha. Phir us ki tawajjo ka markaz Faris ban gaya. Woh maiz bhi jis par French fries ki plate rakhi thi. Mobile aur chand ek doosri ashiya bhi, chhote chhote qadam uthata maiz tak gaya. Chand lamho tak aankhon mein masoomiyat liye use dekha, phir apna nanha sa haath barhakar plate par rakh diya. Faris ki nazar abhi to woh haath rakhe use dekhne laga. Yun jaise us ke rad-e-amel ka andaza karna cha raha ho ke kahin kuch kahe to nahi?

Magazine side par karte us ne ketchup se khaali French fries ka qadrey narm tukda toad kar use diya. Zara sa qareeb ho kar us ne poore ishtihqaq se le liya. Pehle ungliyo mein le kar dekha, ghour se ke kya cheez hai. Phir mooh mein dala. Mazay ka laga to mazeed paas aa gaya. Us ne doosra toad kar diya, phir teesra. Us ke tasuraat batarahe thay usay French fries ke chhote chhote tukde kitne pasand aa rahe the. Mrs. Shirazi bilkul samnay hi glass walls ke paas baithi thee. Un ki nigahen dono par jami rahi thi. Rayyan aur Faris. Faris aur Rayyan. Khawab sa manzar tha. Gumaan mein bhi nahi tha woh unhein ek saath is tarah bhi dekh paayengi. Itne qareeb aur is tarah se!

Is nemat par woh apne Rab ka jitna shukr ada karti, kam tha.

Jannat ne aik taweel gehri saans li. Zara dekho to chacha bheje ki dosti ho gayi. Magar woh phir bhi villain rahi. Phir Rayyan ko hi Jannat ka khayal aaya to ab ke jo tukda Faris ne diya to use le kar us ke paas chala gaya. Nanha sa haath ooper kar ke diya ke lo aap bhi khao. Jannat ka dil mohabbat se bhar gaya.

"Rayyan! Aap itne pyaare kyun ho haan?" Jhuk kar us ke gaal kheenchay. Phir mooh khol kar us ke haathon se kha liya. Ghaliban woh ghar mein us ke haatho se kai baar cheezein le kar kha chuki thi. Nazar aa raha tha woh in chand dino mein us ke saath kitna manoos ho chuka tha.

Faris ke mobile par call aayi to woh uth kar bahar chala gaya. Jameela Daoud ki muskurati mutashakir nigahen door tak us par jami rahi thi.

•••

Us ne Jannat ko is tamam arse mein pehli baar Islamabad mein dekha tha. Woh Zunera Aapa ki taraf aayi thi. Check-up ke liye use hospital jana pada tha. Bench par Burhan ke humrah baithe, apni baari ka intezaar karte us ki nazar jo nabi uthayi, wohi thahar gayi. Jannat kamal darwaza khol kar bahar nikal rahi thi. Us ke saraape par nazar daalte woh phir aa gayi thi.

Gumaan tha woh usay bohot dukh aur takleef mein dekhe gi. Dar dar ki thokar mein khate hue, beizzati aur dhatkaar sahte hue, magar jo aankhein dekh rahi thin. Woh manzar kuch aur hi tha. Us ne suna tha us ki shadi kisi ameer shakhs se hui thi. Us ne yeh bhi suna tha woh apne ghar se kahin bhaag gayi thi. Yeh bhi ke us ka kirdar kitna bura hai. Us ki sazae kitni mukhtasar. Us ka azaab kitna adhoora hai.

Maheen Abdul Kareem Jannat Kamal ko dekh rahi thi. Burhan Wasif ki sakit nigahe bhi us par tehar gayi thi. Kitna mutmain tha us ka chehra. Us ki muskurahat kitni gehri thi. Usay apne kiye par pachhtawa tha na koi ho afsos, Sadama to is baat ka tha ke woh pregnant thi.

Woh banjh larki jis par duniya ki har mehroomi ka ehtetam samjha jata raha, wohi larki maa banne wali thi. Maheen ka poora wujood shola ho raha tha. Kyun? Kaise?

Bag mein papers rakhte Jannat ne sar uthaya to apni jagah tham gayi. Us ki nazar saakit ho gayi. Us ke chehre ka har rang mafqud ho gaya. Aqsa jo us ke intezaar mein baithi thi, foran uth kar paas aa gayi.

Burhan Wasif aur Maheen Abdul Kareem. Jin do chehron ko woh kabhi nahi dekhna chahti thi, wohi do chehre us ke samne thay. Woh Burhan ki aankho mein apne liye nafrat abhi bhi dekh sakti thi. Woh larki jis ne usay cheat kiya, dhoka diya. Bachhe ko maarne ki koshish ki. Woh larki us ka chehra.

"Aapi!" Aqsa ne us ka haath hilaaya to woh jaise hosh me aayi.. Apni kapkapahat par qaabu paate hue bohot zabt aur himmat se woh barabar se guzar kar bahar nikal gayi. Maheen ne gardan modh kar use nazro se oojhal ho jane tak dekha tha. Burhan ke tasuraat sakht pathar yeh ho rahe the. Aankho mein jo hikayat thi, woh Maheen ki samajh se baahir ho rahi thi.

•••

Jannat Kamal ki saanse bhaari ho rahi thi. Us ne gaadi mein baithne tak apni chaal ko mazboot, apne kandhon ko seedha kiya tha. Ab jab woh nazron se ojhal thi to har parda uth gaya tha. Har kei'fat us ke chehre se ayan hone lagi thi. Woh khauf aur dehshat ka tassur nahi tha. Gham aur ghusse ki aag thi jo use andar hi andar jala rahi thi. Aziyato ka ehsaas tha jo mazi ki talkh yaadon mein dhakel raha tha.

Woh us ke samne is tarah kyun aa gaye. Us ne kyun dekh liya unhein. Kyun munjamid ho gayi. Kyun kuch keh na saki. Jo ghussa tha, jo nafrat thi un ke liye. Chand lafzo ka izhaar hi sahi, kuch to karti woh. Woh andar hi andar se jaise khud ko noch rahi thi. Us ki zindagi barbaad hui. Us ki maa duniya se chalayi gayi. Badnami alag hisse mein aayi. Aur woh un dono se kuch keh hi na saki. Usay Burhan ki aankho mein apne liye nafrat aur hiqarat ka tassur abhi bhi nazar aa raha tha. Woh nigahen wujood ko chhilni kar rahi thin.

Abhi tak kuch bhi to nahi bigda tha un ka. Koi hisaab nahi hua tha. Koi ehsaas nahi hua tha unhein. Abhi bhi woh mazloom, aur woh zalim thi.

"Aap theek hai aapi?" Aqsa ko pareshani hui. Doctor ke office se nikalte waqt to woh bilkul theek thi. Achanak kya hua? Woh do log kaun thay jinhein dekhte hi uski haalat aisi ho gayi thi? Woh nichla ab be dardi se kat-ti khidki ki jaanib rukh kar gayi thi.

Ghar pohanch kar bhi woh khoi khoi hi rahi. Mrs. Shirazi us ke rawaiye ka badlaw mehsoos kar gayin. Khana bhi theek se nahi khaya. Lawn mein chai ka daur chal raha tha to woh un ke paas ghaafil hi baithi rahi. Kuch baaton ka jawab deti. Kuch par khaali zehni ke aalam mein chonk padti. Woh kitchen mein gayi, us se glass toot gaya. Chulhe par doodh chadha rakha tha, ail kar phail gaya. Woh wash basin ka dhakkan band karna bhool gayi. Woh jo roz Faris ki study mein jaane, us se baat karne ki koshish kar rahi thi, ek dam se khamosh ho gayi. Woh seedhiya utar kar neeche aaya to us ne Jannat ko sitting area mein deewar ka rukh kiye baitha dekha. Chehra be tassur tha. Nigahen kisi nuqtay par jhuki hui. Sakat aur veerani liye hue.

Jebo mein haath daal kar woh aahista se qadam uthata us ke paas aaya. Woh jo qadmo ki aahat par chonk padti thi, mutwajjah na hui.

Us ne kandhe par haath rakha to ek dam se bokhala kar gardan modhi. Faris usay dekh kar reh gaya. Us ki aankho mein jaane kab se thehr hue aansu gaalo par phisal gaye thay. Us ne foran se aansu saaf kar liye.

"Yahan kyun baithi ho?"

"Aise hi kuch bechaini ho rahi thi, to"  aawaz bheegi hui thi. Ungliya masal kar ghabrahat par qabu paane ki koshish ki. Faris ne kalai modh kar waqt dekha. Aamuman woh is waqt tak so jati thi.

"Tabiat theek hai?"

Us ne asbaat mein sar ko jambish di.

"Tum aaj check-up ke liye gayi thi. Is everything alright?" Usay ehsaas hi na hua. Woh jo itne dino se khamosh tha woh ab khud se bol raha tha. Aaj woh usay apni reports bhejna bhool gayi thi. Asbaat mein sar ko jambish di. Sab theek tha. Lekin woh theek nahi lag rahi thi.

Khoi hui, bhatki hui si thi.

Us ne haath barhaya to woh thaam kar ehtiyaat se uth gayi. Lab bheench kar khud par zabt karte hui palke jhapka jhapka kar aansuo ko rokhti hui. Dil chaaha lab khole aur bata de woh bohot takleef mein hai. Usay bura lag raha hai. Usay gussa aa raha hai. Usay wahshat ho rahi hai. Usay rona aa raha hai.

Woh us ke saath kamre mein aagayi thi. Lihaf banate, takiya durust karte woh aaram se let gayi.

"Kuch chahiye?"

Us ne nafi mein sar hilate hue apni taraf ka lamp off kar diya. Wohi manzar, wohi nigahe, wohi thappad, talaq aur aawaze...

Usne aankhein band kar li.

•••

Zunera Aapa ke ghar mein woh bed par baithi lab kaat rahi thi. Burhan lawn mein tehal raha tha. Woh andar nahi aaya tha. Us ne khana bhi theek se nahi khaya tha. Us ka mood bura tha aur woh us se koi bhi baat kar nahi paa rahi thi.

Jannat Kamal! Jiske saath ek larki aur guard tha. Jo shan dar gaadi mein baith kar hospital se rawana hui thi. Jiske ghar mein ek khush khabri aanay wali thi. Jis ladki ko barbaad kar ke usne ghar se nikalwaya tha, woh ab usay mukammal tor par aabaad nazar aa rahi thi. Us ka chehra, aankho mein ghoom raha tha. Be basi se lab kaate, woh andar se jal rahi thi, bhasm ho rahi thi. Usay twakka nahi thi ke woh apni aankhon se aisa koi manzar dekhegi. Jise adhura samjha tha, usay mukammal dekh rahi thi.

Hasad ki aag mein jalte hue, uth kar baahar Zunera Aapa ke paas ja baithi. Burhan gaadi nikaal kar kahin chala gaya tha.

"Unhein Burhan ko kya ho gaya hai? Mujhe uska mood theek nahi lag raha," Zunera Aapa beti ko sula rahi thi.

Madhm aawaz mein boli, "Jannat ko jo dekha liya?"

Bachi ki pusht thapthapate Zunera Aapa ke haath sakit ho gaye. Hairat se Maheen ko dekha.

"Jannat ko? Kahan dekh liya tum logon ne?"

"Hospital aayi hui thi woh. Aapa. Allah ki panah woh pehchani hi nahi gayi. Itni azad aur modern. Itne chust kapde pehne hue the us ne..." Uski zaban ab zehr ug rahi thi. Jo baatein pehle karti rahi thi woh ab phir se kar rahi thi. Woh aag jo andar jal rahi thi, woh aise hi kam ho sakti thi.

"Astagfirullah, mujhe to dekh kar sharam aayi."

Zunera Aapa apni beti ko chhod kar uski taraf ghoom gayi.

"Aur Burhan ko gussa aa gaya..."

"To is liye mood off hai uska." Apa ne samajh kar sar hilaaya. "Allah ka shukr hai jaan chhoot gayi us badkirdaar ladki se. Shaadi shuda hote hue bhi chakkar chalaati rahi. Ab azad ho kar to gul khilane hi hain us ne..." Aapa ke lehje mein hiqarat thi.

"Sach me Aapa. Rishte rishta khatam ho gaya uska?" Khojte hue sawal kiya. Ek khabar jo pehle mili thi, uski tasdeeq zaroori thi.

"Aur nahi to kya? Ghar se bhaag gayi thi yeh. Uska shohar dhoond raha tha. Is liye woh Lahore gaya tha..." Aapa ko bas itna hi pata tha. Jannat ke baare mein mazeed unhein koi khabar nahi thi. Udti udti khabar bas yeh thi ke iski doosri baar bhi talaq ho chuki thi."

Woh lab bhainche kamre mein aa gayi. Apni cousins ko phone ghuma dala. Woh ek baar phir us ke kirdar par aa gayi thi. Keechar uchhal rahi thi. Jin baaton ki sare se koi haqeeqat hi nahi thi, unhein haqeeqat bana kar phaila rahi thi. Woh mardon mein ghoom rahi thi.

Jannat kamal! Ek aazad khayal ek badkar ladki, uska libas kitna bura tha. Wo mardo me ghum rahi thi. Us ka fashion, us ke mehnge kapde. Us adaye jo wo logo ko dikha rahi thi. Zaban se jo kuch keh sakti thi, keh diya. Magar na aag kam hui, na jalan khatam huyi, na dil se bojh utara. Jo khushi Jannat ki talaq par hui thi, woh khushi mehsoos karne se kashir rahi. Bas nahi chal raha tha wo aik bar phir usay sabki nazro me se gira de, ek baar phir wo kahani dhohraye, ab ke dil chaaha woh apne doosre shohar ki nazron se gire. Use ab ke baar sach much mein talaq ho jaye. Woh baat jo afwah thi, woh haqeeqat ban jaye. Us ke mutafan khayalat ka asar chehre par nazar aane laga. Us ki shakal ajeeb heayat ikhtiyar karne lagi.

"Jannat khush kyun hai? Woh mutmain kyun hai? Us ke paas to ab Burhan bhi nahi hai..."

Dwaraza khol kar Burhan andar aaya to woh bhi jaise khayalat ki duniya se nikal aayi. Sone ki koshish ki to neend nahi aayi. Uth kar baithi to maloom hua Burhan bhi jaag raha hai.

"Kya soch rahe hain aap?"

"Kya soch sakta hoon?" Uske lab bheench gaye.

"Us fazool ladki ki wajah se apna sukoon kyun barbaad kar rahe hain?"

"Us fazool ladki ke saath maine paanch saal guzare hain Maheen. Mere saath itna bara dhoka kar ke, mujhe is tarah se aziyat de kar woh kaise khush reh sakti hai. Koi ehsaas hi nahi use."

Maheen ki aankho mein tajub sa utar aaya. Kya woh use sharminda dekhne ki khwahish mand tha? Use apne aas paas ek dum se dhamake hote hue mehsoos hue. Kya woh chaah raha tha Jannat Kamal usse maafi maange? Apni ghaltiyo ka idraak kare? Woh mathosh nigaho se apne shauhar ko dekh rahi thi.

"She is a pregnant! Yeh sab kaise..?"  uska dimaagh jaise maaf ho raha tha. Woh use gusse ki aag mein dekh sakti thi, magar is aag mein kuch aur bhi tha. Koi aisa jazba aur ehsaas, koi aisi keefiyat... jo wazeh nahi ho rahi thi. Maheen Abdul Kareem ko is lamhe apna aap fana hota mehsoos hua tha.

"Burhan! Usne hum sab ke saath bura kiya hai. Specially aap ke saath! Mujhe samajh mein nahi aata, kisi cheez ki kami hone di aap ne, aur usne phir bhi aap ko cheat kiya. I'm so sorry aap ko in sab se guzarna padha." Lehje ko naram karte huye, Uske hath par hath rakha. Magar dil dhadak ke ja raha tha. Saanse chal rahi thi. Burhan Wasif ka yeh rawiya usay mukmase mein daal raha tha. Jis ladki ka woh naam tak nahi sunna chahta tha.

Uska zikar kaise kar raha tha. Talaq ke baad Jannat Kamal ki sirf ek jhalak, kahan le gayi thi usse?

"Aap ne kitna khayal rakha uska, aur usne aap ke bachhe ko hurt karne ki koshish ki. Mujhe takleef pahunchayi." Aankho mein aansu bhar laayi. Apna sar uske kandhe se laga diya.

"Isi baat ka to dukh hai mujhe," lab bheench kar bola. "Usne humare rishte ka bhi lihaaz nahi kiya. Jitni mohabbat maine use di, uske bawajood usne mujhe dhoka diya."

Jannat Kamal aur uski khushgawar zindagi. Woh muskurahat jo uske hotho par thi aur us par nazar padte hi uran chhu hui thi. Woh aankhein jin ka naram tassur use dekh kar sakit ho gaya tha. Woh Jannat Kamal jo uske bina jeene ka tasawwur bhi nahi kar sakti thi, woh uske bina kitni khush, kitni mukammal nazar aa rahi thi. Jaane woh kaisa ehsaas tha jo ek dum se haavi ho gaya tha. Sulagta hua, angaaron jaisa. Rago mein sarayat karta hua. Aankhon mein khoon bharta hua.

Maheen to phir bhi sone ke liye lete gayi thi, magar woh aankhon mein sholay liye raat gayi tak jaagta raha tha.

•••

Nashte ke baad woh kamre mein thi. Raygan paas hi baitha hua tha. Faris aaine ke samne khada tie ki knot baandh raha tha. Jo magazine haath mein tha, uska safa gol gol ghumane lagi. Kalai par ghari pehente hue Faris ne mud kar usse dekha. Uska chehra mukammal tor par utara hua tha. Woh pata nahi kin socho mein gum thi. Wo sar jhatak kar baahir chala gaya. Mulazim uska briefcase gaadi mein rakh raha tha.

Aqsa main gate se baahir nikal rahi thi. Ruk gayi. Modib si. Kahin daant na pad jaye baghair wajah ke. Uski van aa chuki thi. Driver horn diye ja raha tha.

"Main jaun sahab! Van aa gayi!"

Usne wahi khade khade hath hilaaya to driver uska ishaara samajhte hue van ko le gaya.

"Ab kya main college paidal jaun gi?" Woh bokhalayi. Uski saheliyo ne van se gardan nikaal nikaal kar usse dekha ke wahan kis ke saath khadi hai aur kya kar rahi hai.

"Driver se keh deta hoon woh drop kar dega tumhe." Aqsa ki jaan mein jaan aayi.

"Kal tum apni Aapi ke saath ha saal gayi thi?"

"Ji sahab!"

"Wahan kuch hua tha kya?"

"Nahi to, bas seedhiyo par ek bade Baba ji behosh ho gaye the. To jo badi Amma unke saath thi, unhone shor macha diya."

"Main is baat ki nahi kar raha." zabt karke roka. "Tumhari Aapi se koi mila tha kya?" Faris ne apna sawal mazeed wazeh kiya.

Aqsa ne ruk kar aasman ki taraf dekhte huye apna nazar yahan wahan dodaya.

"Aur haan! Yaad aaya, ek miya biwi the."

"Aik Miya biwi?" Faris ne sabr ki inteha par sine par bazu bandhe

"Matlab husband wife the shayad Woh Jannat Aapi ko dekh rahe the aur Jannat Aapi unhein dekh rahi thin. Pata nahi kya baat thi, woto bas pathhar si ho gayi, phir sara waqt gaadi mein bhi bilkul chup rahi. Halanke unhone mujhe kaha tha ke aqsa wapsi par ice cream khayenge..." ek hi saans mein sab kuch bata diya.

Faris ne use jane ka ishara kar diya aur sath hi driver ko hum diya ke use college drop kar de. Itni badi gaadi mein college jaane ka tasawwur se woh khush hoti wo ithlati hui gaadi mein baith gayi. Soch rahi thi ke dosto ke ilawa jo bhi ladki use dekhegi,  jalke swaha hi ho jayegi.

Office pahunch kar Faris ne Dr. Shazia ka number milaya. Woh Mrs. Shirazi ki dost thi. dua salam ke baad seedha asal mudde par aa gaya.

"Aap se ek help chahiye thi."

"Ji beta, kya help chahiye?"

Wo Jannat ke baad check-up ke liye aane wali khawateen ke baare mein pooch raha tha. Unke names jaan'na chah raha tha. Dr. Shazia ne apni assistant se list mangwayi. Chand aik naam ke baad

"Maheen Abdul Kareem" aur "Mrs. Burhan Wasif" ka naam samne aaya.

Faris mobile phone kaan se lagaye wahi baitha reh gaya.

"Aap ka bohot shukriya," usne call cut kar di. Uski aankho mein ajeeb sa tassur utar aaya.

"Kya uski yeh halat is liye hai ke usne apne sabqa shohar ko dekh liya hai?"

Apni office chair par baitha Faris Wajdan ki mutthiya mazbooti se bheech gayi thi.

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