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Yeh na samjhiyega ki yeh gaali Miss Pal athwa ghar ki kisi naukaraani athwa jamaardaani wagairah ko di gayi hai. Jee nahin, humaare ghar mein upaadhi sirf beghmaat ke liye istemaal hoti hai. Ateinw hum turant samajh gaye ki yeh taareef walida sahiba ke siwa aur kisi ki nahin ho sakti. Humne saadar poochha-" Kya baat hai?"

Walid saahab ne badastoor munh se phool barsaate hue kaha-" Baat hui hai ki jee chaahta hai ki chudhail ko jootiyaan maarkar ghar se nikaal doon. Tumko itminaan tha ki Miss Pal ki taaleem aur mohabbat ne use aadmi bana diya hai. Magar main jaanta tha ki kutte ki dum baarah nalki mein dabi rahe, iske baad bhi nikaali jaayegi to tedhi hi hogi. Lutiya hi dubo di is kambakht aurat ne. Aur samajh meein nahin aata ki ab hoga kya?

Ab kaun samajhaata walid saahab ko ki kibla wa kaaba asliyat to huzoor ki bhi yahi hai. Yeh doosri baat hai ki aap bhool jaayein. Baherhaal ab to maaloom yeh karna hai ki baat kya hui hai. Isliye arz kiya-" Magar baat to maaloom ho."

Walid saahab ne jhijhakkar kaha-" Miyaan, jahannum mein gayi baat. Jo baat bani hui thi, weh is dhaamadh aurat ne bigaadh di. Kisi ko munh dikhaane ke kaabil nahin chhodha. Samajh mein nahin aata ki kidhar munh kaala kar jaaoon."

Humne phir haath jodhkar arz kiya-" Magar kya hua?"

Walid saahab ne humein dhyaan se dekha. Phir bole-" Hua yeh ki aapki walida sahiba ne, khuda unhein gaarat kare, apne bhaiya ko khat likha hai ki Farhat ki shaadi uske baap ek raees ladki se kiye dete hain. Agar pahunchna hai to abhi pahuncho. warna phir kuch na ho sakega aur us khat ke jawaab mein us chugad ka yeh khat aaya hai jo suno."

Yeh kehkar unhonein khat sunaana shuroo kar diya-" Humsheera sahiba salaam!"
Aapka khat mila, padhkar sakht ranj hua ki bhai saahb daulat paakar apno ko bhool gaye. Aur jo rishta bachpan se tay ho chuka hai, uska bhi khyaal na kiya. Main jaanta hoon ki aap majboor hain aur shauhar ke mukaabila mein aapki chal nahin sakti. MAin baherhaal lahore pahunchne ki koshish kar raha hoon. Jaise hi paasport ka intezaam ho gaya, main lahore pahunch jaaoonga. Magar aap shaadi mein der karaayiyega ki ki mera aana bekaar hi na jaaye. Koshish ki Najjo aur uski walida ko bhi saath laaoon. Magar katai tay nahin hua hai."

Walid saahab ne yahin tak khat padhkar humse kaha-" Sun liya aapne jaldi aa rahi hai yeh aafat aue ab humaari asliyat ka bhaanda aisa footega ki tabiyat saaf ho jaayegi."

Humne waakai chintit hokar kaha-" Yeh to bahoot buraa hua. Sawaal yeh hai ki ab kya kiya jaaye?"

Walid saahab ne chillaakar kaha-" Mujhse kya poochhte ho? Us haraamzaadi se poochho, jisne yeh gul khilaaya hai. Saahabzaade mujhe yakeen tha ki yeh jo hum shareefzaade bane baidhe hain, iski pol kabhi khuli to usmein isi aurat ka haath hoga. Saahab, naai hum bhi hain. Humaare baap, dada khare naai the; Magar yeh to kuch bahoot hi naain nikli. Ab iska ilaaj sirf yahi hai ki sir mundkar choti haath mein rakh di jaaye aur nikaal baahar kiya jaaye ghar se."

Humne kaha-" Khair, aap shor na machaayein. Mujhe bhi gaur karne dein aur aap khud bhi gaur karein ki aayi balaa kisi soorat se tal bhi sakti hai yaa nahin."

Walid saahab se kaha-" Ab kya talegi. Mumkin hai ki aaj hi kal mein pahunch bhi jaaye magar itna main bataaye deta hoon ki chaahe Khan bahadur ke yahan yeh rishta is wajah se na ho sake ki humaara naai hona uchhal jaayega; Magar meri zindagi mein Najjo bhi bahu bankar is ghar mein nahin aa sakti. Agar weh naai hain, to main bhi naai hoon. Weh meri moonchh moond raha hai to main uska sir moondkar rakh doonga joote maarkar ghar se nikaal doonga bhai bahen dono ko."

Humein akasmaat ek upaay soojha aur humne walid saahab se poochha-" Kya is khat ki baat walida saahiba ko maaloom ho chuki hai?"

Walid saahab ne farmaaya-" Abhi nahin. Maine tumhein is mashwire ke liye bulaaya hai."

Humne kaha-" Bas to theek hai. Phir abhi walida saahiba ki or se taar diye dete hain ki shaadi ho gayi. Ab mat aao. Main khud pahunch rahi hoon. Passport ka intezaar hai."

Walid saahab ki aankhon mein bhi ek chamak si aa gayi aur saara krodh jaise kaafoor ho gaya. Bade hi rahasyemay dhang se bole-" Bhai Maashaa Allah. jeete raho. Aakhir kis baap ke bete ho. Waakai yeh taar kaam kar jaayega basharte ki weh taar se pehle hi chal na padha ho."

Humne kaha-" Tauba keejiye. Passport milna itna aasaan nahin hai. Daudte daudte jootiyaan tootengi, patloon langoti banegi, phir kahin jaakar passport mil sakega aur abhi to weh rupye ka intezaam karenge. Unke paas itna paisa kahan hai ki teen aadmiyon ko lekar hawaai jahaaz par aa jaayein."

Walid saahab ne kaha-" Bhai laajawaab tarkeeb soojhi hai. Waakai itni jaldi weh kaise chal sakta hai? Yeh taar milne ke baad weh iraada hi multavi kar dega aur idhar hum waakai mein jaldi karenge. Yeh to khair theek ho gaya magar apni maa ki is harkat ko to dekho."

Humne kaha-" Baherhaal ab aap unse kuch na kahiyega warna weh sanak jaayengi ki shaayad unka khat yaa uska jawaab pakdha gaya hai. Hum aur aap to aise chup rahein, jaise humein kuch khabar hi nahin hai."

Walid saahab ne wachan diya ki chup rahenge. Aur humse prastaawit vishaye ka taar likhwaakar khud motar par taar ghar tashreef le gaye. Magar hum ajeeb udhedh bun mein mubtalaa ho gaye ki yeh jo kuch ho raha hai kahan tak sahi hai. Is samay R.ana ki saral aur nireeh kalpana humaare saamne thi. Aur humein mehsoos ho raha tha ki weh hum par ab bhi wahi vishwaas karti hai, jo sadaa karti aayi hai. Magar humaara dil chor hai aur hum apne ko is vishwaas ke yogye nahin samajhte. Hum uske dil mein bhes badalkar samaaye hue hain aur usi ko dhokha de rahein hain, jiski saralta aur nireehta ne apni sharaafat aur paarivaarik pratishtha ko humaare supurd kar rakha hai. Aaj hum pehli baar khud apni nazron mein girte hue mehsoos hue. Isliye nahin ki hum naai hain. Humaare nazdeek ek naai bhi sharaafat ka daawedaar ho sakta hai aur ek naai ko bhi yeh adhikaar prapt hai ki weh apne naai hone par garw kare. Magar humein yeh adhikaar isliye praapt nahin tha ki humne apni jaati ko khud naach samajhkar apne ko kuch aur banaa rakha tha. Apni drishti mein girne ka kaaran yeh tha ki humne yeh bhed R.ana par bhi prakat na kiya tha, weh humein nawaabzaada hi samajh rahi hai. Kaash! Weh humein khaas naai samajh kar radd kar deti, par humaara yeh fareb na khaati. Use nahin maaloom ki weh ek bahroopiye, dhoort aur kapti ke fareb mein padi hui aur hum use dhokha de rahe hain, apne jeewan ka saathi banaana chaahte hain iska arth yeh hua ki hum jeewan bhar ke liye ek sthaayi dhokha khareed rahe hain- magar is kalpana mein tasweer ka doosra rukh bhi saamne aane laga ki yeh sab dikhaawe ki baatein hain duniya mein. Koi insaan kisi se uncha nahin hai. Yeh uchchta aur neechta apne vyaktigat aacharan se utpann hoti hai. Islami drishtikond to yeh hai hi, lekin aaj kal ki faishonable maanyetaayein bhi iska samardhan karti hain. Humaara naai hona aisa hi hai jaise koi deputy collector ho jaaye. Yeh kya waahiyat hai ki jo sui lekar kapdha siye weh to darzi kehlaaye aur uska pesha aur uski jaati par jaaye aur jo tailoring house khole weh kuleen ka kuleen rahe. Joota gaadne waala mochi kehlaaye aur jooton ka vyaapaar karne waala shreahth ka shreshth.

Magar iske baawajood humaari kamzori yeh thi ki humne R.ana se aakhir naai hona chhipaaya hi kyon? Zaahir hai ki hum khud ko neech samajhte the aut heen bhaaw ke shikaar the, warna humaara sabse pehla kartavya reh tha ki agar weh shreshtabhaaw ka shikaar hoti to use uski kalpit unchaayi se us star par laane ka prayatn karte jahan sab insaan hote hain. Do haath, do pair, do aankhein, do kaan aur do aankh waale insaan. Humein chaahiye tha ki R.ana ko is jaatigat bhram se chhotkaara dilaate aur us vyaktigat sajjanta aur yogyata ka kaayal banaate magar humne yeh na kiya, isliye ki hum khud shareef banne ke nihaayat gair shareefaana tareeka akhtiyaar kiye hue the.

Khuda jaane hum kab tak is udhedh bun mein pade rehte, magar R.ana ne humein chonka diya. Weh aaj kuch bahoot hi badhiya vastr dhaaran kiye hue thi. Humne R.ana ko libaas ke baare mein kabhi saadgi ki seema se aage badhte nahin dekha tha. Yeh aur baat hai ki kabhi saadgi mein bhi asaadhaaran aakarshan hota tha. Aamtaur par use safed libaas pasand tha. Garmiyon mein to khair safed libaas ka jawaab hi nahin. Pehenne waali ki tabiyat bhi khush hoti hai aur dekhne waale ki nigaahon mein bhi thandak padhti hai. Magar R.ana beghum to jaadhon mein b hi safed hi libaas pasand farmaati thi. Ateinw is samay safed shalwaar, safed kameez aur safed duppatte par apna weh jafarka safed coat pehne hue tashreef laayi ki jaise kisi barfistaan ka doot chalaa aa raha ho. Humne january ki sardi mein is libaas par aitraaz karte hue kaha-" Mumkin hai ki aapko aapke is garm coat ne garam kar diya ho. Magar yeh safed rang dekhkar dekhne waale ko jo sardi lagti hai, uska aapke paas koi ilaaj hai."

R.ana ne muskuraate hue kaha-" Maaloom nahin kya baat hai? Mujhe kabhi aur rang ka kapdha pahente sharm aati hai. Mujhe rangeen kapdha pahen kar na jaane yeh ehsaas kyon hota hai ki jaise maine banne sanwarne ki koshish ki ho."

Humne kaha-" Waakai maine aapko kisi aur rang ke kapdhon mein dekha hi nahin."

R.ana ne kaha-" Nahin, khair, rangeen kapdhe bhi hain to mere paas; Magar jahan tak ho sakta hai, main safed hi kapdhe apne liye pasand karti hoon. Kyon, kya aapko pasand nahin hain?"

Humne kaha-" Naapasand hone ki to koi wajah hi nahin. Safed rang ko aapko shaksiyat mein bada dakhal haasil ho chuka hai. Magar kabhi kabhi dekhne waalon ki nigaahon ka mazaa badalne ke liye agar koi doosra rang bhi pasand kar liya karein aap, to kya mazaayka hai?"

R.ana ne kaha-" Dekhne waalon ki nigaahon ka mazaa, khoob kaha aapne! Baherhaal aap is befikri se na khade rahein. Aaj hum dono ko Sarwar ke ghar chaaye peeni hai. Unki khair se saalgirah hai. Maine aapki aur apni taraf se do tohfe khareede hain. Magar ab aap jaldi chaliye, der kaafi ho gayi hai..............."