Rastey diyar e dil ke bhi kitne ajeeb the. Sab rahro the, koi yahan rehnuma na tha.

راستے دیارِ دل کے بھی کتنے عجیب تھے، سب راہرو تھے، کوئی یہاں رہنما نہ تھا۔

"All were travelers, but there was no guide here."

∘❀∘

Annexe ke bahar shaam gehri ho rahi thi. Balaayi manzil ke master bedroom mein, bed ke kinare baithi Zartasha ke chehre pe socho ka jaal tha. Woh hatheli par thodhi giraye, ungli pe saamne ki lat lepet-ti, kisi ghair marai nuqte ko dekh rahi thi.

Bathroom se paani girne ki aawaaz aa rahi thi. Kabhi kabhaar woh gardan mod kar us taraf dekh leti aur phir dobara se khala mein dekhne lagti. Uska zehan munqasim tha Hashim se ki gayi baatein, Zumar ka zikar, Faris ki ghair maujoodgi, sab kuch use bohat uljha raha tha.

Agar Khawar ka party mein maujood na hona itna ahem nahi tha, to phir Hashim ne baator khaas is baat ka zikar kyun kiya? Phir unko aate dekh kar unke chehre itne faq kyun ho gaye the?

Zartasha ke paas bohat se sawal the, jawab ek ka bhi nahi tha.

Daf'aana phone ki ghanti baji. Woh bezari se uthi aur ghoom kar side table tak aayi. Faris ka mobile baj raha tha. Upar likha aa raha tha: Madam Zumar.

Zartasha ke lab bhench gaye. Aankhon mein ajeeb si nagawari ubhri. Chand lamhe woh phone ko dekhte rahi, phir jhapt kar uthaya. Zor se button press kar ke kaan se lagaya.

"Ji, farmayiye?"

"Main District Prosecutor Zumar Yousaf baat kar rahi hoon," Zumar kehte hue zara jhijhki. "Mujhe Faris se baat karni hai."

"Main Faris ki biwi bol rahi hoon. Aapko Faris se kya baat karni hai?"

Zartasha ka lehja khushk aur sard tha. Zumar lamhe bhar ke liye chup rahi.

"Filhal to theek hoon. Lekin jis tarah aap mere shohar ke saath behave kar rahi hain, mujhe nahi lagta ke agli dafa hum itni hi khushgawari se baat kar sakenge."

Line par chand lamho ki khamoshi chha gayi. Phir Zumar ki aawaaz ubhri, to usmein gehra ta'ajub tha.

"Sorry, main aap ki baat samjhi nahi."

"Halaanki aap ko samajhna chahiye tha ke mera shohar be-gunah hai. Phir bhi jis tarah aap mere shohar ko baar-baar mujrim sabit karne par tuli hain, is sab se mujhe yehi lagta hai ke aap us se koi purana badla utaar rahi hain. Aakhir mere shohar ne aap ka kya bigaada hai?" Woh bamuskil gusse jabt karke kahe jaa rahi thi, Itne dino ka andar ubalta lawa kisi na kisi tarah phatna hi thi.

Doosri taraf, Zumar chonchhi aur hairat se phone ko dekh kar reh gayi. Phir us ke taa'surat bhi sakht ho gaye. Aawaaz sapat ho gayi.

"Main bilkul bhi nahi samajh paa rahi ke aap kis taraf ishaara kar rahi hain. Main sirf aur sirf Faris aur Saadi ki madad karna chaah rahi thi. Bahar haal, jab Faris mujh se baat karne ke liye farigh ho jayen, to unhein bata dijiye ga ke unhone kal mujhe apni Alibi se milwana hai. Aur haan, un se kahiye ga ke agli call woh hi mujhe karenge, kyunki mere paas filhal karne ko aur bohot se kaam hain."

Khatt! Se phone band ho gaya.

Zartasha ta'ashshuf se phone ko dekh kar reh gayi, phir zor se wapas phek diya.

Bathroom ka darwaza khula to woh chonk kar murhi. Faris baahar nikal raha tha, towel se geele baal ragadta. Us ki aankhon aur chehre pe sadid izterab tha. Yaqeenan usne yeh guftagu nahi suni thi. Woh qareeb aaya to Zartasha ne bamuskil chehre ke ta'seerat normal kiye. Halka sa muskurai.

"Madam Prosecutor ka phone aaya tha. Woh chahti hain ke aap unhein call back kar lein."

Faris ne zara chonk kar usay dekha. Aankhein sikud kar us ke taa'surat par ghour kiya.

"Aur kya keh rahi thin?"

"Kuch khaas nahi."

Woh ghoom kar bed ke doosri taraf chali gayi aur brush utha kar baalon mein upar se neeche phirne lagi. Albatta chehre pe halka sa ghabraahat tha. Dil zor zor se dhadak raha tha. Faris jaise aadmi ko dhoka dena, kam az kam Zartasha ke liye itna aasaan nahi tha. Woh ruk phir phir kar baithi, aaine mein usay dekhte rahi.

Faris ab phone mila kar usay kaan se laga raha tha. Phir palat kar woh kamray se malhaqa balcony mein ja khada hua.

Zartasha ki saansein wahi lag rahi thin. Baalon mein hair brush phirta haath ruk gaya.

"Ji, Assalamu Alaikum, Madam. Kaisi hain aap? Aap ka phone aaya tha."

Usay Faris ki aawaaz sunayi de rahi thi. Woh hair brush rakh ke dabe qadam unhi aur chokhat mein ja khadi hui. Faris ki uski taraf peeth thi. Samne lawn nazar aata tha aur us ke paar Hashim ke kamray ki balcony.

Hashim ka kamra hamesha ucha hota tha aur un ka kamra nishib mein. Yeh farq Zartasha ko aaj pehle se zyada mehsoos hua tha.

"Ji, sure ma’am! Main kal aap ko is se milwa dunga. Time aur jagah main aap ko text kar deta hoon."

"Ok."

Faris shayad kuch aur bhi kehna chahta tha, magar doosri taraf se ghaliban khushk lehje mein ki gayi baat kaat di gayi thi. Tabhi woh khamosh ho gaya aur phir phone band kar diya.

Jab woh palta to Zartasha ko wahin khada paya.

"Kya keh rahi thi?"

Usne bazahir anjaan si ban kar poocha. Dil albatta zor zor se dhadak raha tha.

Faris phone band karta aage aaya, zara andhi aankhon se, khud bhi kuch uljha hua sa tha.

"Kal mujhe inhein apni alibi se milwana hai, uska bata raha tha." Phir khamosh ho gaya jaise use bhi Zumar ke khushk jawab pe pehle se jada hairat hui thi ya phir shayad use bura laga tha.

Kya waqai Zumar usko mujrim samajh rahi thi?

"Kya aapko yeh lagta hai ke DA aapko mujrim samajhti hai?"

Zartasha zara zara si ehtiyaat se uska chehra dekhte kareeb aayi. Woh jo bed ke kinare baith gaya tha, chonk kar sar utha kar use dekha.

Zara naram pad gaye. Aakhir woh uski biwi thi, uski soch padh sakti thi.

Usne hum sa aithaaf mein sar hilaaya. Shayad Zartasha ko zara taqat mili. Gardan utha kar pehle se zyada aitmaad se woh kareeb aayi. Uske kandhe par narmi se haath rakha.

"Zumar jo bhi kahe, main jaanti hoon aapne kuch nahi kiya, aur main jaanti hoon ke aap mujrim nahi hain. Yaqeenan koi aapko is mein phansa raha hai."

Faris ke asraat ki naramiyat barhti gayi. Usne halka sa muskurakar sir kham diya, aisi muskurahat jis mein shukar guzari bhi thi aur zakhmi pan bhi.

"Thank you, Zartasha. Tumhari support mere liye bohot mai'ni rakhti hai."

Woh bhi jawab mein muskara di. Albata woh pehle se zyada bechain thi. Unhein kya cheez tang kar rahi thi? Hashim ka ek be-mai'ni, be-sabab sa jumla? Kya bas yahi Zartasha ko tang kar raha tha?

Usne sar jhatkana chaaha, magar sochon ko jhatkana itna aasaan na tha. Dressing table ki daraz mein meri NGO ke haath bhijwai gayi video rakhi thi. Kyunki Shehreen ne bhijwai thi, isliye Khawar ko pata nahi chal saka aur na hi Hashim ko.

Usne socha ke woh kal ise dekhegi.

Haan, kal!

☆☆☆

لہو سے اب معاملہ کیا ہو، دل پر اب کچھ گزر رہا بھی نہیں۔

Lahoo se ab maamla kya ho, dil pe ab kuch guzar raha bhi nahi.

∘❀∘

Jab Zumar ne Faris ka phone band kiya, woh ghar mein daakhil ho rahi thi. Uske chehre par ajeeb si bezari aur qadar-e-nagawari thi.

Jis mobile ko purse mein rakhte hue woh munh mein kuch burburai, jaise woh is saare khudraak se tang aa rahi thi. Magar Saadi, sirf Saadi ke liye usey Yeh sab kuch arsa mazeed bardasht karna tha. Pata nahi shaadi ke baad kya hoga?

"Uff...!!"

Main door khol kar woh raahdari mein aayi. Phir drawing room ke qareeb se guzarti woh thehri. Jaali daar parde ke paar mehmanon ki baatein aur chehre dikhai de rahe the. Zara ot ho kar usne dekha.

Yahaan se sirf samne sofa pe baitha Hammad dikhai de raha tha. Khush shakal, sa no jawan Jiske aankhon pe glasses the, magar is waqt woh qadar gair mutma'in surat-e-haal mein baitha hua tha. Baqi, uski walida ka chehra to yahaan se dikhai nahi de raha tha, magar unki aawaz woh behar haal sun sakti thi.

Woh bade ahsaas se keh rahi thi, "Humein bakhoobi ehsaas hai ke aapke khandan mein bohot qareebi wafat hui hai. Lekin aap bhi khayal kijiye ke hamare cards bat chuke hain, hamare saare mehman aa chuke hain. Kitne hi logon ne bahar se aakar yeh chhutti li hai. Woh chhutti le kar aaye hain, is se zyada wo tehar bhi nahi sakte. Aise mein hum bhi majboor hain."

"Main bilkul samajh sakta hoon aapki saari baat. Main aapko shaadi aage karne ka bhi nahi keh raha. Shaadi usi din hogi jo cards pe likha hai. Mein sirf itna keh raha hoon ke ham is shaadi ko kadre saadgi se bhi kar sakte hai, baazahir be hadd dhum dham ke."

"Hamara aik hi beta hai. Kya hame koi haq nahi ke ham apne tamam armaan uspe pure kar sake? Aap jante hai ke wo teen bheno ka aik lota bhai hai, isme sabki Khushi shamil hai."

"Woh sab theek hai aap walima par aapne taamam armaan pure kar lijiyega, lekin sirf apne taraf ke function ham saadgi se sar anzaam dena chahte hai. Ye death hamare khandan ke liye bahut bada dhachka thi. Mein nahi chahta hamare kisi bhi amal se meri bahu aur mere pote upset ho." Bade Abba bahut bahut matanat aur baroob lehje me unko apna mudda samjhne ki koshish kar rahe the.

Wo laahasil si behes thi. Jo Zumar ko mazid bezar kar rahi thi. Dafatan behad takalluf me bethe Hammad ki nazar us par padhi to woh ba-dikkat muskaraya, zumar b utni hi dikkat se muskurayi. Sar ko kham diya aur palat kar andar chali gayi. Hammad se bas uska itna hi talluq tha. Bazahir rahi pasandidgi ki baat to apne jesi bahut si ladkiyo ki tarah mangani, nikah, shaadi jese license ke baad usko pasandidgi ka ikhtiyar to mil hi chuka tha. Achha tha wo usko pasand bhi tha. Aur shaadi ke hawale se ummide bhi bahut thi. Lekin waris Ghazi ka katl ye aik wakiya har cheez badal raha tha.

Kamre me aake usne mobile khola. Faris ki abhi abhi attend ki huyi call ka record dekha. Zartasha ki bate zehen me dobara se gunji. Chehre pe aayi huyi talkhi mazeed badh gayi. Bedili se usne phone pare rakh diya. Tabhi wo dobara se baja. Zumar ne call uthayi. Ye office se thi.

"Accha…hmm…thik hai me samjah gayi. Mujhe maloom haiki waris Ghazi ka boss is tarah apni classified file ko khulwane ke liye…akhir hame unhe bhi to samiye tafteesh rakhna hai agar Faris Ghazi theek keh raha hai ke is murder ka talluk is case se hai jiski tafteesh maqtool kar raha tha to hame court se order laazmi lena hai.…ok!"

Phone band karke zumar ne pehle se jada usay bedili se bed par feka. Aur kanpatti ungliyo se Maslti sar hatho me girakar wahi bethi rahi.

☆☆☆

Yeh aur baat ke baazi uske haath rahi warna farq to le de ke ek chaal ka tha.

∘❀∘

Woh subah pehle se zyada ta'affun zada thi. Jabs, khattan aur fiza mein chhayi ajeeb si sṛandh. Aise jaise door kahin zair e zameen ke neeche koi cheez jal rahi ho, bhoon rahi ho, koi nadeeda shay.

Office se nikalte hue Zumar ne car ki taraf jaate hue mobile dekha, Faris ne subah use hotel ka naam SMS kar diya tha, saath hi call kar ke takeed bhi kar di thi. Yeh woh jagah thi jahan use Faris ki alibi se milna tha. Waqt qareeb tha, dobara se hotel ka naam zehan nasheen karne ke liye usne message khola hi tha ke mobile baja. Faris ka number aa raha tha, usne car ka darwaza kholte hue phone kaan se lagaya.

"Main Faris, nikalne hi wali..."

"Change of plan... hotel nahi, uske saamne restaurant hai, wahan aa jaiye Zumar, main tafseelat SMS kar raha hoon." Aur phone band.

Zumar ke abroo ta'ajjub mein bhenche. Woh Faris hi tha, magar uska andaaz kuch ajeeb sa tha, mukhtalif sa. Aisa nahi tha ke usne kabhi is tarah do tok baat nahi ki thi, magar esa bhi nahi tha ke Zumar ki baat sune baghair yu'n kaat diya ho. Use kuch nagawaar guzra. Shayad kal uske khushk aur mukhtasir andaaz-e-guftagu ki wajah se is tarah baat ki ho.

Khair, sar jhatak kar usne car start ki aur mirror mein apna chehra dekha. Bhoori aankhon mein sanjidgi thi. Aur naak ki long chamak rahi thi. Ghunghriyale bale jude me bandhe the. woh har roz ki tarah aaj bhi taazah dam lag rahi thi.

Hashim apne office me chair par tek lagaye betha tha. Koat kursi ki pusht par phela tha. Cuff moṛ rakhe the. Bilkul thake thake, khoon se nichdu chehre ke sath wo laptop ko dekh raha tha. Khawar se rabta musalsal jura tha. Woh Faris aur Zumar ki call sun sakta tha.

Aankhon mein albata na-khushi thi. Jab call khatam hui to woh aage jhuka aur mateeq mein bola:

"Yeh Faris ka lehja bilkul nahi tha. Woh pehchaan jayegi."

"Sir, yeh qareeb tareen hai. Is se zyada mushabihat mumkin nahi. Hum awaaz ka pitch kar sakte hain, lehja nahi. Aap jaante hain har awaaz ka ek mukhtalif voice print hota hai. Is liye main in recordings ko do tok rakh raha hoon, taa ke woh lehje par ghour na kar sake."

Woh apne kaam ka maahir tha, magar ba-shumaar be-had chid-chida ho raha tha.

"Agar koi gadbad hui to main tumhein apne haathon se shoot karunga Khawar."

Aur woh sakht bad-maza aur muztarib ho kar muthhi bhinchta wapas peeche hua. Uski aankhon mein ajeeb sa karb tha, gussa tha, guilt tha. Hashim ke paas is waqt har cheez thi, siwaaye sukoon ke.

Hotel ke kamre mein Khawar khidki ke saath baitha tha. Parda hata tha. Gun stand par rakhi thi. Usne bareek dastane pehn rakhe the, jin ki ungliyon ke pooro ki jagah par bareek plastic chhoda tha. Us plastic par Faris ke finger prints the. Woh jahan jahan haath lagata, wahan Faris ke nishan chhap jaate jo baad mein police talash kar legi. Bahut ehtiyaat se woh gun ko stand par fix kar raha tha. Itni ehtiyaat se ke us par maujood Faris ke asli finger prints kharab na ho. (Yeh gun usne Faris ke ghar ki basment se uthai thi.) Gun set karke usne naal se dekha, nishaana baandha. Door neeche bane restaurant ki sheeshe ki deewar saamne thi. Wahan par corner mein ek table dekha, har cheez plan ke mutabiq chal rahi thi. Woh muda, laptop par chand keys dabayeein, call jaane lagi.

Zartasha annexe ke baramde mein kursi par baithi udaasi se saamne khade buland-o-bala mahal ke aqab ko dekh rahi thi. Wahin par Hashim ki balcony thi aur neeche Shehreen apni do saal ki beti Sonia ki ungli pakde usse baatein kar rahi thi. Kisi baat par halka hansti, ghaas par chal rahi thi.

Shehreen ne tights par dheeli si designer shirt pehn rakhi thi, jis ke ek kandhe se aasteen mazid neeche latak rahi thi. Gardan mein pathron ki lambi si mala thi. Sab branded tha aur woh jaanti thi ke sab kitna qeemti hoga. Faris ki teen mahine ki tankhwah se bhi kayi guna zyada qeemti, magar nahi... Woh chahta toh bohot kuch afford kar sakta tha. Agar woh black market se kharidi gayi saat-aath lakh ki gun le sakta hai, toh party ke liye do lakh ki saree bhi dila sakta tha. Magar nahi...

Zartasha yaasyait se dekhti rahi. Dafatan door khadi Shehreen ne usse dekha. Suraj ki roshni ki wajah se maatha haath se chhupaya, aankhein sikud kar dekha, phir haath hilaaya, muskurakar, tafakhur se, tamaskhur se. Zartasha pheeka sa muskurai aur haath hila diya. Shehreen aage badh gayi.

Woh oonchaai par thi, yahan se dhalan aa jaati thi. Zartasha upar dekhne ki aadi thi. Phir woh be-dili se uthi, saamne rakha laptop aur video CD utha kar andar le aayi. Saari video woh dekh chuki thi. Khawar jo aam taur par har video mein Hashim ke aage-peeche nazar aa jata tha, udhar darmiyan ek lambi muddat ke liye ghaib tha. Magar ghaib toh Faris bhi tha. Usse kuch sabit nahi hota tha. Aur woh khawar ko jada dekh bhi nahi rahi thi. Jis manzar me zumar hoti kam az kam usme wo kisi aur ka na dekhti. Tabhi mobile baja.

Usne mobile uthaya. Gair sanasa number tha, usne call uthayi.

"Ji?"

"Main ek restaurant ka address SMS kar raha hoon, jahan par is waqt aapke shauhar, District Prosecutor Zumar ke saath baith kar baat kar rahe hain. Agar aapko yaqeen nahi aata, toh khud aa kar dekh lein."

Ghair shanasa awaaz mein keh kar phone band kar diya gaya. Woh Hein Hein karti reh gayi. Pehle toh kuch samajh hi nahi aaya, phir jab samajh aaya toh tez se uthi. Chehre par shadeed gusse, taish aur uljhan bikhar gayi. Faris ne usse milna hi tha, yeh toh woh jaanti thi... Magar kisi restaurant mein lunch...?

Yeh do alfaaz usko buri tarah khab gaye the, aur woh Zartasha thi, use haqeeqat ka ilm tha. Usko apne dil mein mojood shak ke keede ko nikalne ke liye kuch toh karna tha.

Usne mobile uthaya aur Faris ko call milayi. Ek ghanti baji, phir doosri, usne phone utha liya.

"Haan Zartasha, bolo?"

"Aap kidhar hain?" Qadre hichkichahat se usne poocha. Saath hi usay khud par afsos hone laga, woh kaise kisi ajnabi ki call par aitbaar kar sakti thi?

"Main kaam se aaya hua hoon bahar, koi kaam hai?"

"Nahi, bas main aap ka pata karna chah rahi thi. Aaj aapne prosecutor se milwana tha us ladki ko, woh sab ho gaya khair se?"

"Haan, magar madham ab tak nahi aayi. Main aur Haneen, Alicia ke kamre mein unka intezar kar rahe hain."

"Hotel mein, yani ke—" Uski baat mukammal bhi nahi hui thi ke Faris ne "Haan, bye." keh kar phone band kar diya.

Woh ek dum kas kar reh gayi, phir mobile rakh kar ek naye irade se uthi.

Hotel ke kamray mein khawar tayar baitha tha. Uski nazrein ghari ki suiyon par thi, apne target ke intezar mein woh lamhay gin raha tha.

Laptop pe Hashim se rabta filhal khamosh tha. Yeh nahi tha ke Hashim doosri jaanib mojood nahi tha, Hashim bas chup tha. Bilkul chup. Woh dono muntazir the kisi ki zindagi ki tehreer likhne ke liye.

Khawar ke hotel ke kamray se mulhaqa kamray mein Alicia qadrey murtab kursi par baithi thi. Woh waqfay waqfay se saamne khamosh baithi Haneen aur muqabil bechain se tehalte Faris ko dekhti. Uske apne chehre par bhi taffakur chhayi thi.

"Main adalat nahi jaungi, main khud ko kisi khatre mein nahi daalna chahti." Usne ungliyan marorte hue baat ka aghaz kiya.

Faris ne ruk kar jaise zabt se use dekha.

"Kam az kam abhi ke liye tumhein prosecutor ke samne meri alibi mazboot karni hai. Kyun ke yeh sach hai ke me katal ke waqt idhar hi tha."

"Lekin main adalat mein nahi jaungi."

"Woh baad ki baat hai."

Magar Alicia bechain ho rahi thi.

"Haneen bhi toh thi us raat hamare saath. Kya sirf Haneen gawahi nahi de sakti?" Usay koi cheez bohot zyada pareshan kar rahi thi. "Main 16 saal ki ladki hoon, unki rishtedaar hoon, main credible gawah nahi hoon."

Haneen ne pehli dafa guftagu mein mudakhlat ki, aur woh bhi kaafi aitmaad se. Faris aur Alicia dono ne use dekha. Haneen ne shaane uchkaaye.

"Abigail, The Good Wife, Boston Legal waghera dekh kar itna toh pata chal hi jata hai."

"Woh sab theek hai, lekin main kahungi kya? Mujhe sab kuch bahut ajeeb sa lag raha hai. Kahin main kisi masle mein toh nahi phas jaungi?"

Alicia ab bhi hichkichaa rahi thi. "Kyuki agar main kisi masle mein phansi toh main aapko abhi se bata rahi hoon, main is sab se nikal jaungi."

"Kam az kam aaj ke liye tum is sab se kahin nahi nikal rahi." Faris ne kaafi sakhti se uska chehra dekh kar kaha. Jahan ek rang aa raha tha, ek ja raha tha. Phir gehri saans li, saamne sofa par aakar baitha aur samjhane wale magar do tok andaz mein bola:

"Yeh Nat Geo wali kahani prosecutor ko mat sunana. Tum bas ek tourist ke tor par yahan aayi ho apni dost se milne. Baat khatam. Samajh aayi?"

Alicia ke chehre par nadamat phail gayi, magar usne sar hila diya.

"Okay."

Faris bechaini se uth kar aage peeche tehlne laga. Phir ghari dekhi. Haneen ne uski kefiyat dekh kar kaha:

"Aap phupho ko call kar lein."

Faris ne sar hila kar phone nikala, call mila kar kaan se lagaya. Ghanti jaane lagi. Mulhaqa kamray mein mojood Khawar ke laptop pe signal aane laga. Faris ke number se call ja rahi thi. Usne chand keys dabayeein, call Kat gayi.

Faris ke phone par "Call Ended" ka paighaam aaya. Usne sar jhatak kar mobile jeb mein daal liya.

"Yaqeenan woh aa rahi hongi."

Haneen ne khamoshi se sar ko kham diya. Woh is karwai mein Faris ka saath zaroor de rahi thi, albata woh khush nahi thi. Use Zumar ka Faris par shak karna, Alicia ka is sare maamle mein ghaseeta jaana, Saadi ki bechaini har cheez nagawar guzar rahi thi.

Kitna hi acha hota agar Zumar sirf uski baat ka aitbaar kar leti. Magar usne saaf be-rukhi se keh diya tha ke woh is case mein kisi ki rishtedaar nahi hai.

Haneen ne yeh sab yaad kar ke nagawari se sar jhatka. Aankhein ab tak surkh, mutawarram thi. Pehle Waris Mamoon ka gham, aur uske baad shuru hone wala yeh ajeeb sa police, kachahri, qanoon ka chakkar...

☆☆☆