Episode 4: Khali cabin aur agli manzil

Episode 4: Khali Cabin Aur Agli Manzil

Kashmir ki thandi dhoop ab dhal rahi thi jab Bedford truck se aakhri eent neeche utari gayi. Chaudhary Aslam ne na sirf poore paise diye, balki khane ke liye Usman aur Shamim ko zabardasti bitha kar roti bhi khilayi. Lekin Shamim ka dil ab wahan nahi tha; unka dimag Rawalpindi ki sarak par chal raha tha. Khali truck ko pahari dhalwanon se neeche utarna, bhare hue truck ko oopar le jaane se zyada khatarnak hota hai, kyunke gari ka apna wazan (dead weight) use tezi se neeche kheencha hai.

"Usman, radiator ka paani check karo. Air pressure double check kar lena, neeche utarte waqt brakes par load aye ga," Shamim ne joota seedha karte hue kaha.

"Baaji, sab set hai. Clutch wire bhi bilkul tight kar diya hai," Usman ne balti phekty hue jawab diya.

Gari start hui. Ab truck halka tha, is liye cabin mein vibrations aur zyaada thin. Khali truck ke pichle hissay (chassis) ke patthe (leaf springs) har khadde par aisi awaz karte thay jaise loha lohay se takra raha ho.

Raat ke 11 baje thay jab truck wapas Rawalpindi ke Farash Town adday par pohncha. Shamim ne gari park ki, Usman ko uski dihadi di, aur thaki hui qadmon se apne ghar ki gali mein daakhil huin.

Ghar ka darwaza kholte hi unhein andar se dheemi dheemi rone ki awaz aayi. Shamim ka kaleja jhatkay se hil gaya. Unho ne jaldi se chadar utari aur andar wale kamre mein gaeen. Unki bari beti, Uzma, zameen par baithi thi aur paas hi unka beta baitha use samjha raha tha.

"Kya hua? Uzma! Ro kyun rahi ho beta?" Shamim lapak kar uske paas baithin aur uske ansoo saaf kiye.

Uzma ne rote hue apna sar Shamim ke kandhe par rakh diya. "Abu... wo... Sajid ke ghar walon ka phone aya tha."

Sajid wo larka tha jiske sath Uzma ka rishta tay ho raha tha. Shamim ne pucha, "Kya kaha unho ne? Koi masla hua hai?"

Beta bol utha, "Abu, unho ne shadi ki tareekh agle mahine ki rakhne ka kaha hai. Aur keh rahe hain ke unhein koi bara jahez nahi chahiye, bas larki ko izzat se rukhsat karna hai... lekin..."

"Lekin kya beta? Khul kar bolo," Shamim ne dono ko deeply mehsoos karte hue unke hath thame.

Uzma ne rote hue kaha, "Abu, unho ne kaha hai ke shadi ka hall aur khana hamari taraf se hoga. Kam se kam do sau (200) mehmaan hon ge. Agar hum itna bhi na kar sakein, to unke khandan mein unki naak kat jaye gi. Abu, agle mahine tak hum do lakh rupay kahan se layein ge? Meri wajah se aap par itna bojh..."

Kamre mein ajeeb sa dard phail gaya. Shamim ne apni beti ke chehre ko dekha. Uzma ki ankhon mein apni shadi ki khushi se zyada apni maa ki ttooti hui peeth ka dard tha. Wo janti thi ke uski maa ek ek rupay ke liye mardon ke beech khari ho kar larti hai.

Shamim ne aik gehri saans li. Unho ne apni zakhmi peshani, jis par abhi bhi Kohala wale hadsay ka nishan tha, use chupa liya aur muskurayi. Unki awaz mein ek aisi pakki mamatwa (motherly strength) thi jo sirf ek maa mein ho sakti hai.

"Tum is baat par ro rahi ho?" Shamim ne Uzma ka chin oopar kiya. "Uzma, tum is ghar ki bari beti ho. Jab tum paida hui thi na, to tumhare baap ne kaha tha ke yeh hamari qismat badle gi. Main ne paharon se larna seekha hai beta, in chote chote halat se nahi. Shadi agle mahine hi hogi, aur pure dhoom dham se hogi. Tumhari maa abhi zinda hai."

"Lekin Abu, do lakh rupay..." Bete ne pareshani se kaha.

"Mera Bedford truck khara hai na adday par? Kal subah main adday ke sab se bade thaikedar se milon gi. Karachi ka phera mile, ya Quetta ka... main har phera uthaon gi. Jab tak is truck ka wheel ghum raha hai, is ghar ki betiyon ki ankhon mein ansoo nahi aane doon ga."

Uzma ne apni maa ko gale se laga liya. Us andhere kamre mein, jahan paise kam thay, wahan is aurat ka hosla pahar se bhi bara tha. Shamim janti thin ke agla maheena unke jism ke liye aik azaab hone wala tha—unhein din raat soye bina driving karni parni thi—lekin unka irada pathar se zyaada sakht ho chuka tha.

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