مگر! یہ قتل کی سازش کہاں سے آ نکلی؟ وہ لوگ تو تھے میرے خاندان کے ہی۔

Magar! yeh qatl ki saazish kahaan se aa nikli? Woh log to the mere khandan ke hi.

∘❀∘

Hashim ke kamre mein central heating se kaafi garmaish thi. Haneen chips khaate hue computer pe kaam kar rahi thi. Sofa pe peechhe ko tek lagaye Saadi ko neend aane lagi, magar Haneen ki awaaz ne jaga diya. Woh chonk kar seedha hua.

"Aayiye inki photos dekhte hain," woh dilchaspi se kehti Hashim ke laptop par folder khole jaa rahi thi.

Saadi ne uske haath par haath maara, "Buri baat hai Hannah, kisi ki zaati cheez nahi dekhte."

"Okay, aap aankhein band kar le!" Usne purani tasveerein khol li, Hashim ki Stanford ke dino ki. Tab bhi woh aisa hi tha, magar zara young... Shehreen bhi unme thi. Class fellow thi shayad, ya junior.

"Yeh aaj kahaan hai?"

"Apni ammi ke ghar, Hashim bhai ne bataya hai." Saadi ne labon pe mutthi rakh kar jamaahi roki. Haneen tez tez tasveerein aage karti ja rahi thi. Phir wo isse bhi bore ho gayi aur wapas drama laga liya.

Dafatan (Achanak) Hashim kamre mein daakhil hua toh Haneen ne jhat se screen pe asal kaam waali window khol di.

"Alicia ka abhi tak koi jawab nahi aaya. Aghwa-kar ka account break karne mein abhi kuch aur ghante lagenge." Usne ittila di. Haneen ne bas sir hilaaya aur almaari ki taraf aaya. Saadi yunhi gardan mod kar use dekhne laga. Almaari Saadi ki pusht par thi. Hashim ne darwaza khola toh...

Khane samne aaye. Teesre khaane mein ek digital lock wala safe nasb tha. Hashim ne chand digits daba kar safe ka darwaza khola. Andar documents, checkbooks, notes, sab kuch nazar aaya. Woh cheezein ulat-pulat kar ke kuch dhoondhne laga. Saadi neend mein doobi aankhon se usse hamdardi se dekhne laga.

Usne checkbook nikaali aur kuch papers andar daal diye. Safe mein har cheez bikhar chuki thi. Aur Saadi wapas gardan modne hi laga tha ki nigah mein kuch atka… jaise siyah raat mein koi angara nazar aaye. Magar yeh bila shuba ek dehakta hua angara tha.

Safe ki deewaar ke saath ek lifaafe se kuch jhalak raha tha, ek tasveer ki safed pusht, jisme surkh aur neele nanhe-nanhe angutho ke nishaan the. Jaise paint mein doob kar lagaye gaye ho. Bas ek jhalak dikhai di aur Hashim ne safe band kar diya, password daba kar lock kiya aur baahar nikal gaya.

Aur Saadi Yousuf ki saari duniya jhanjhuna gayi. Neend khul chuki thi. Woh saalo baad ab jaaga tha.

"Hannah..." Usko apni awaaz kuwe se aati mehsoos hui. "Tumhe yaad hai jab main dadi ki death pe aaya tha Pakistan, Waris mamu ki death se chheh maah pehle shayad? Tab main unki betiyon ki ek tasveer laya tha jisme back par paint mein doobo kar un dono ke angutho ke nishaan jabt kiye the?"

"Ji, woh aapne Waris maamu ko de di thi. Aur unhone use apne laptop ke ulti taraf card holder mein daal diya tha taake har waqt unke paas rahe." Haneen masroof tareeke se keys dabati ja rahi thi. Usko laga woh saans nahi le payega.

"Woh… woh tasveer ab kahaan hogi?"

"Kya ho gaya hai bhai?" Woh khat-khat type karti boli. "Mamu ke qatil unka laptop le gaye the, ab tak toh unhone sab tabaah bhi kar diya hoga. Sambhal kar thodi rakhi hogi?"

Saadi ki mari-mari nigahen band almaari par markooz huyi. Chehra safed pad raha tha.

"Hashim aur mere liye koshish kare? Namumkin!"

maazi se Faris ki jhunjhlayi hui awaaz goonji.

"Mujhe Hashim pe shaq hai. Usi ka haath hoga isme."

"Hashim chahta toh main baahar hota. Main baahar is liye nahi hoon kyunki usne chaaha hi nahi."

"Mamu keh rahe the unhein Hashim bhai pe shaq hai. Mamu ko aisa nahi sochna chahiye."

"Main Faris ki wajah se apni biwi aur beti ko waqt nahi de pa raha."

"Hashim ko mere affair ke baare mein pata chal gaya. Dekho kya kya kiya usne mere saath."

Usko laga uske haath kapkapa rahe the. Sardi badh gayi thi. Wo bilkul sunn sa baitha tha. Palkein bhi nahi jhapak paa rahi tha.

"Woh tasveer… tumhe waqai yaad hai Hannah ke mamu ke laptop ke card holder mein hi thi?"

"Ji, magar aapko kyun khayal aaya achanak?" Woh ek dum chonk kar usse dekhne lagi.

Woh sambhal kar pheeka sa muskaraaya. "Yunhi. Tumhara kaam kahaan tak pahucha?"

"Ho raha hai lekin Kya aapko yeh baat ajeeb nahi lagi ke Nausherwan bhai ka aghwa inhi dino mein kiya gaya jab khawar yahaan nahi tha? Aurangzeb uncle ne bataya tha mujhe ke khawar unke office aur computer ka ghar ka computer genius hai. Waise yeh Kirdar ka karobaar kya hai?"

"Yeh ek cartel ko head karte hain."

"Cartel kya hota hai?"

"Fazool sawaal mat poochho, tumhe pata hona chahiye kya hota hai." Woh ek dum chid kar bola. Dimag itna uljha hua tha ke Haneen ki baatein bezaar kar rahi thi.

Usne jawaab mein zor se "hunh" kehkar rukh phera.

"Meri toba jo ab aapse kuch puchhu ya batau.. Hunh!"

Hashim ke kadmon ki awaaz aayi toh woh zara sambhal kar baitha. Hashim andar aaya, wahi pareshaan, tensed chehra liye. Saadi ke peeche aakar almaari kholi. Saadi ne ab ki baar gardan nahi moddi. Samne dressing mirror laga tha. Woh aaine mein Hashim ko dekhta raha.

Us ne safe ka code dabaya. chaar numbers. Saadi ne dimaag mein fit kiye. Safe khula toh Hashim ne kaagzaat wapas rakhe aur use band kiya. Phir se code daala. Saadi ne abke pakka yaad kar liya. Woh uski tareekh-e-pedaish thi.

Woh chala gaya aur Saadi kitni hi der Haneen ke saath khamosh baitha raha. Uska kaam jaari tha. Woh bhai ke chehre ko dekh bhi nahi rahi thi. Woh bas chup-chaap baitha raha, kitni hi purani baatein yaad aane lagi.

Ammi kehti thi, "Hashim ka wakeel kyu unke har dafa taal deta hai? Kyun woh kuch thos nahi kar raha?"

Aur wo har baat adalati nizaam par daal deta. Tab aankhon par aitmaad ki patti bandhi thi. Ab usme suraakh ho rahe the.

"Kya pata Hashim ne woh laptop Waris ke qatilo se haasil kar liya ho? Aur wo tasveer rakh li ho? Magar usne hame kyu nahi bataya? Kya pata Isme kuch aisa ho jo Faris ke liye nukhsaan-deh ho magar usne hamein kyu nahi bataya? Har sawal ke aakhir mein woh ulajh jaata. Hashim ne kuch soch samajh kar faisla kiya ho shayad. kuch toh socha hoga. Kya pata yeh koi aur tasveer ho, uski apni beti ki? Magar nahi" uski yaad-dasht bahut acchi thi. Yeh wohi photo thi.

"Main abhi aayi." Haneen ek dum uthi aur baahar chali gayi.

Saadi ne kuch nahi poochha. Bas yunhi chup baitha raha. Phir ek dum chonk kar sar uthaya.

Woh Kamre mein akela tha. Gardan idhar-udhar ghumayi. Phir aahista se utha aur almaari ki taraf aaya.

Uski tarbiyat, uska imaan, sab keh rahe the ke kisi ka locker kholna gunaah hai. Magar uska dil keh raha tha—" ke Aakhri fatwa mujhse lo, main kehta hoon aisa kar daalo toh kar daalo."

Aur dil se behas ka waqt nahi tha. Usne jaldi se code daala. Locker khola. Tasveer wala lifafa saamne tha.

Saadi ne kapkapate haatho se photo nikaali aur ultayi.

Amal aur Noor.

Uske dil ko dhakka laga. Yeh wohi photo thi.

Hashim ko bachay pasand the. Woh bachiyon ki tasveer tabaah nahi kar saka tha.

Woh jo ab tak be-yaqeeni ke aalam mein tha. Ek dum uski aankhon mein surkhi utarne lagi. Lab bhinch gayi.

Mud kar darwaaze ko dekha, jiske paar, neeche lounge mein Hashim baitha tha.

Ek lamhe ko uska dil chaha abhi jaakar Hashim ko girebaan se pakde aur usse poochhein "Usne kyun kiya unke sath aisa?"

"Uska is sab mein haath tha."

Faris theek kehta tha. Kyunki Faris usko jaanta tha.

Aur Saadi?

Saadi usko bilkul nahi jaanta tha.

Magar wo Faris nahi tha.

Usko gusse se beqabu hoke Hashim ka girebaan nahi pakadna tha. Usko kuch aur karna tha.

Usne woh lifafa nikala. Usme mazeed kuch aur tasaveere thi, wo unko dekhta gaya aur dil har aik pe dubta gaya.

Wo us restaurant mein firing ke foran baad ki thi. Khoon mein latpat Zumar… log abhi ikatthe hona shuru nahi hue the aur wo upar se li gayi thi. Upar hotel ke kamre ki khidki se.

Saadi ki aankhon se neend ab bilkul gaayab ho chuki thi. Woh saaket saans roke ek ke baad ek tasveer dekh raha tha. Wo peshaawar qatil apne shikaar, apni maharat ki tasveerein apne paas sambhal kar rakhte hain, aur fakhar se apna be-aib kaam dekha karte hain.

Magar use aaj yaad aaya tha.

Lifafe ki aakhri cheez ek flash drive thi. Saadi ne use ult-pult kar dekha. Uspe koi tag nahi laga tha.

Bahar nikal kar Haneen ne railing ke upar se jhanka. Hashim neeche baitha ungli se apni pesani masal raha tha. Sar uthaya toh Hannah ne ishaare ka kiya. Jawahirat musalsal kuch bol rahi thi aur Aurangzeb phone pe baat kar raha tha.

Hashim uske ishaara karne pe uth kar upar aaya. Jis waqt Saadi locker ka code daba raha tha, woh dono band darwaze ke aage khade the.

"Nosherwan bhai ka kamra kaunsa hai? Mujhe check karna hai ke unka computer hack toh nahi kiya gaya?"

"Laptop toh woh saath le kar gaya tha magar woh zyada desktop istemal karta hai."

Hashim saath wale kamre mein daakhil hua toh woh peeche aayi. Usne batti jalayi aur computer mail ki taraf ishaara kiya.

(Ain us waqt Saadi deewar ke paar locker me se tasveer nikal kar dekh raha tha.)

"Dekhlo jo dekhna hai." Thakan se ishaara kiya. Woh foran aage jaakar kursi par baithi usey on kiya.

"Aakhri dafa aapki kab baat hui thi unse? Aghwa se pehle?"

"Aghwa se shayad chhe saat ghante pehle baat hui thi. Woh Seoul mein tha aur shopping kar raha tha. Khush tha." Woh udaasi se muskuraya.

"Hmm… acha, is computer ka password kya hai?"

"Pata nahi."

Hashim ne shane uchkaaye, thaka thaka sofa pe gir sa gaya. Darwaaza poora khula tha. Neeche se Jawahirat ke bolne ki halki aawaaz aa rahi thi.

"Okay, jo bhi hai udaa deti hoon."

Administrator pe password nahi tha, so usne aasaani se computer khol liya. Ab woh khamoshi se keys dabati kaam karne lagi.

"Kya aap log paise de rahe hain? Mera matlab, abhi aap apne locker se kuch nikal rahe the."

"Dad de rahe hain paise sheru se badh kar nahi hain." Woh band aankhon ko masal raha tha.

"Aap kisi aur se raabta karne ki koshish toh karein. Kya maaloom woh aapke computers aur phone tap na kar rahe ho. Yeh sirf ek khaali kholi dhamki ho. Aapke toh itne contacts honge."

"Mmm-mmm, Main apne bhai ki zindagi pe risk nahi loonga. Ek dafa woh wapas aa jaye, phir main un logon ko dekh loonga."

"Aap lucky hain. Aapko apne bhai ko bachane ka mauka mil gaya. Kash humein bhi mouka milta Mamu ko bachane ka… toh hum bhi har raqam de dete."

Woh type karti keh rahi thi. Dusri jaanib khamoshi rahi toh Haneen ne gardan mod kar dekha.

Woh sofa pe baitha use dekh raha tha. Aankhon mein itni bebasi aur karb tha ke Hannah ke dil ko kuch mehsoos hua.

"Sorry… mera matlab aapko dukhi karna nahi tha."

Magar Hashim ne aahista se nafi mein sar hilaaya.

"I am sorry, bacche. Meri har us cheez ke liye jisne tumhe dukh diya ho."

Woh ek dum bohot disturbed nazar aane laga tha.

"Alicia ka Mamla maine galat tareeke se handle kiya. Phir abhi bhi main tumpe gussa kar gaya. Mujhe tumhare saath aisa nahi karna chahiye tha. I’m sorry, beta."

Aankhein band ki, ungliyon se peshaani masalta raha. Haneen haath rok kar use dekhti rahi.

"Maine jo bhi kaha, pareshaani mein kaha. Main upset hoon. Mera bhai mujhe bohot azeez hai. Main bohot upset hoon."

Ab woh phir se band aankhon ko masal raha tha. Haneen dum saadhe use tak rahi thi. Phir Hashim ne aankhein kholi. Bohot umeed, bebasi aur aas se use dekha.

"Agar Khawar hota, toh main kabhi ek chhoti bacchi se darkhwast na kar raha hota, magar main is waqt bilkul mafluj hoon."

"Haneen!" madham thaki awaaz mein woh kehta gaya aur wo saans roke sune gayi.

"Tum kuch bhi karo, bas mere bhai ko aziyat dene walon ka pata laga do, kar dogi na?"

Usne Hashim ko pehli dafa itna kamzor dekha tha. Usne shayad Hashim ko dekha bhi pehli baar tha… is tarah, is nazar se.

Aur yeh woh lamha tha jab Hashim ke liye Haneen Zulfiqar Yousuf Khan ka dil palat gaya tha.

Aur yeh woh lamha tha jab mutasal kamre mein khade, locker se tasveer nikal kar dekhte Saadi Zulfiqar Yousuf Khan ka zehan Hashim ke liye palat gaya tha.

Dono ke ehsasat se bekhabar, Hashim apni kamzori, apne bhai ko kisi doosre ke haath paakar khudko bahut be-bas mehsoos karta, Sheru ke kamre ke couch par nidhhal baitha tha.

Haneen ne aahista se rukh pher liya. Uske apne haath halka sa kapkapaye the. Phir usne kuch papers print kiye, computer off kiya, aur sofa ki taraf ghoomi.

"Aap pareshaan mat ho. Woh Alicia nahi hai. Alicia aisa kabhi nahi kar sakti. Woh ek kamzor ladki hai. Main yeh bhi nahi chahti ke aap excuse karein. Aap bade hain, aapne wahi kiya jo aapko theek laga. Magar ek dafa aapko Alicia ke baare mein sochna chahiye. Usko paise dene se aapki daulat kam nahi ho jaati, jaise aghwakaro ko dene se kam nahi hogi."

Madham sa keh kar woh bahar nikal aayi.

Hashim ne maaloom nahi suna bhi tha ya nahi.

Woh wapas kamre mein daakhil hui toh Saadi ne chonk kar sir uthaya. Woh Hashim ka locker khole khada tha.

Haneen ko pehle toh jhatka laga, phir gadbada kar jaldi se darwaza band karti kareeb aayi.

"Yeh aap kya kar rahe hain?"

"Yeh flash chahiye thi mujhe."

Jaldi se woh lifafa jisme tasveerein daal chuka tha, wapas rakha, locker band kiya aur uski taraf ghooma.

"Mujhe isko copy karna hai. Mat poochho yeh kya hai, bas mere office ki cheez hai. Mujhe pata hai yeh galat hai, magar tumhare paas koi device hai jisme main yeh copy kar sakoon?"

Haneen ne sir jhuka. Ek pur fusuh lamhe ka asar zail kiya aur gehri saans lekar mashuk bhari nazar se bhai ko dekhti aage aayi.

Hashim ki study table ki daraaz kholi. Idhar udhar haath maara, wapas mud kar haath mein ek USB liye Saadi ki taraf badhi.

"Kya yaad karege kisi shakhi se paala pada tha. Copy kar le, kuch din baad aakar chup chaap rakh dena."

Aam haalaat mein us chori pe daatt dene wala Saadi, chup chaap usne laptop mein lagaa liya.

"Isme unke Cartel ke kuch documents hain. Mere project ke liye faidemand hain."

"Cartel kya hota hai?"

Woh jo chips utha kar kha rahi thi, ruki.

Phir sar jhatka.

"Khair… nahi bataana bilkul bhi. Ab aap mujhe kuch mat batana, Main bhi nahi bataungi kuch."

"Sar mat khao mera. Bahar Mrs. Kardar ke paas jaa kar baitho."

Woh uss flash ko copy kar raha tha. Jaise hi kaam khatam hua, usne asli flash nikaali aur wapis locker me rakh di.

Jab palta toh woh ab bhi wahin baithi thi. Chips uthakar muh me rakh rahi thi.

"Tum jao bhi, accha nahi lagta. Jab se aaye ho, unko ek lafz tasalli ka nahi bola."

"Okay!" Woh mashkook bhari nazar se usse dekhti uthi aur bahar chali gayi.

Hashim ab seedhiyan utar raha tha. Haneen ne darwaza band kiya aur uske saath neeche utar aayi.

Jawahirat aur Aurangzeb mukhalif sofay par baithe the. Puri raat ki zehni aziyat ne thaka diya tha.

"Don't worry, Uncle. Ek dafa Nosherwan bhai bakhairiyat ghar pahunch jayein, toh main raqam ko trace kar loongi."

Jawahirat ne tez nazar se usse ghura.

"Aur kya isme isi ladki ka haath hai?"

"Nahi, uske haath itne lambe nahi hain."

Usne shaane uchka diye. Phir qareeb se guzarti Marie engilo ko roka.

"Suno, tumhare fish fry tayar nahi hue ab tak?"

"Bas, main la hi rahi thi."

"Waise aaj kal main ek Korean drama dekh rahi thi – 49 Days. Uska ek Filipino version bhi aanay wala hai. Kya tumhare mulk mein bhi K-culture mashhoor hai?"

"Bohot zyada."

Mary ne use dekha, phir sulagti nazar se khud ko ghurti Jawahirat ko aur jaldi se wahan se khisak li.

Andar baitha Saadi ab Hashim ke laptop ko chhaan raha tha.

"Kuch toh milega..."

Ek ek file sarseri taur par kholta gaya, magar wo mayoos hone laga.

Aakhir kuch documents mile jin ke naam nahi the, sirf numbers the aur wo locked the.

IInhi mein kuch tha.

Usne inko copy karne ki koshish ki, magar yeh namumkin tha.

Ab kya karein?

Aur tabhi agwa-karo ka agla paighaam aaya.

Paighaam padh kar, Saadi tez-tez bahar railing par aaya. Neeche sab baithe the. Husnain bhi taang par taang rakh ke, pao hilati mobile pe button daba rahi thi.

"Un logo ka naya paighaam aaya hai."

"Paise mil gaye hain. Nosherwan char se paanch ghante tak pahunch jayega. Magar iske pohnchne tak woh nahi chahte ke ham kisi ko khabar kare."

Woh laptop le kar neeche utarta bata raha tha. Flash jeb mein thi aur chehre par gehri sanjeedgi thi. Zehan abhi tak uljha tha.

Sab khamosh rahe.

Saadi Hannah ke saath aa kar baith gaya. Woh laptop ghutno par rakh kar phir se kaam karne laga.

Kyuki screen Haneen ki taraf thi, usne earphones laga liye aur drama ki ek episode chala di.

"Aur Sheru ke aane tak, woh log bohot door ja chuke honge."

Aurangzeb bebasi bhare gusse se burburaye.

Jawab me Jawahirat aur Hashim ek saath bolne lage.

Saadi ne Hashim ko dekha toh uska dil naram padne laga.

Woh itna pareshaan, itna toota hua lag raha tha.

Aur woh uske baare mein kya soch raha tha?

Kaise uske locker se kuch chura kar le aaya?

Kaise kar diya usne yeh sab?

Tabhi screen par nazar padi.

"Abhi toh tum koi aur drama dekh rahi thi?"

Saadi ne halki si sarghoshi ki.

Haneen ek lamhe ko gadbadayi.

"Wo… yeh bhi mera favorite hai. Yunhi dobara dekh rahi hoon."

Woh khamosh raha.

Uljhi huyi nigahe ab bhi screen par aayi, jahan haneen manazir aage aage karke dekh rahi thi.

"Um..Hashim bhai?"

Koi ghante baad Saadi ne use pukara.

Woh jo beech me uth kar bahar chala gaya tha, Sheru ke aane ki taiyari, airport flights timing check karne, ab wapas aakar baitha tha.

Zara chonka aur use dekha.

"Haan bolo?"

"Faris mamu ka wakeel keh raha tha ki agar humein Waris mamu ki files mil jaayein, toh kisi na kisi tarah hum unke asal qatilo tak pahunch sakte hain."

Hashim abhi tak shadeed pareshaani ka shikar tha.

Usne zara se shaane uchkaye.

"Mushkil hai. Ab kahaan milegi uski files? Itna arsa guzar gaya. Tum koshish karlo magar mushkil lagta hai. Samajh rahe ho na?"

"Ji bilkul samajh raha hoon ab."

Zara sa asbat mein sar hilaya.

Hath se na-mahsoos andaaz mein jeans ki jeb ko chuwa jahan flash mojood thi.

Hashim ab mobile dekhne laga.

Aur Saadi gaahay bagaahay ek sanjeeda nazar uske chehre par daal leta.

Bar bar wo dil mein Hashim ki taraf safai pesh karta. wo saari safaiyan dum todne lagi.

Raat ki tareeki mein uske aitimaad ka khoon bhi aahista aahista risne laga, aur ris ris kar bal-aakhir usne aitimaad ke laashe ko adh-mua kar diya.

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