‗Sikandar Sahib, I would like to speak to you.' He was in the lounge,
reading the newspaper when the maid approached him, hesitantly.
‗Yes, what is it? Do you need money?' he replied while reading. He was
generous with his servants.
‗No sir, it's not that. There's something else I need to tell you.'
‗Then say so…' he was still absorbed in the newspaper. Nasira was
worried. After much consideration, she had decided to tell Sikandar Usman
about Salar and Imama, because the matter was getting very complicated.
She did not want that, sooner or later, her role as a go-between should be
discovered and that she and her family be hauled up before the police for
being accomplices. She discussed the situation with her husband and
decided to confess all to Sikandar Usman—she needed the backing of at least one of the two families involved in this.
‗Why don't you speak?' Sikandar asked her, eyes fixed on the paper.
After a long pause, she said, ‗Sir, I want to tell you about Salar Saab.'
‗About Salar? What do you want to say about him?' Sikandar put down the
paper on the table and looked at her. He was serious now.
‗I have to tell you some things about Salar Saab and Imama Bibi.'
Sikandar's heart took a somersault. ‗What about them?'
‗Many days ago, Salar Saab gave me his mobile phone and told me to
send it to Imama Bibi through my daughter.' Sikandar Usman was rooted to
the spot: so Hashim Mubeen's persistence and his worst suspicions were
well-founded.
‗Then?' It seemed to him as if his own voice came from some distant
cavern.
‗I refused, saying I couldn't do this, but he threatened me. He said he'd
have me thrown out, so I was forced to agree and get the mobile to Imama
Bibi.'
To protect herself, Nasira added lies to her statement. ‗Then some days
later, he gave me some papers to be given to Imama Bibi and brought back
to him at once, so I gave them to my daughter and did as he had
instructed. I asked him what those papers were but he didn't tell me. I
suspected it was a nikahnama because there were five people present in
his room at that time and one of them was a moulvi.'
Sikandar Usman broke out into a cold sweat as she divulged these details.
‗How long ago did this happen?' he inquired.
‗A few days before Imama Bibi went away.'
‗Why didn't you tell us all this earlier?' he said sternly.
‗Sir, I was very frightened…Salar Saab had threatened me that if I told you
or anyone else, he would have me thrown out,' she replied
‗Who were those people in the room? Do you know any one of them? Can
you recognize them?' Sikandar Usman was very agitated.
‗Only one, sir…Hasan Saab,' she named one of Salar's friends. ‗I don't
know who the others were. I was very worried, sir. I wanted to tell you, but I
was afraid of what you'd think of me…but I couldn't keep this to myself any
more.'
‗Who else knows of this besides you?' he asked.
‗Only myself, my husband and my daughter, sir,' she said quickly.
‗Do any of the other servants know anything?'
‗May Allah forgive me, sir! Why would I let anyone else know? I haven't told
a soul.'
‗I will deal later with whatever you have done, but get this straight—you will not breathe a word of this to anyone. Keep your mouth shut for all times
otherwise not only will you be thrown out, but I'll tell Hashim Mubeen and
the police that you were behind all this business—you led them astray, you
carried messages back and forth. Then think of what the police can do to
you and your family—you all will spend your entire lives in jail.'
Sikandar threatened her in a fit of rage.
‗No sir, never...cut out my tongue if I ever breathe a word about this again.'
Nasira was petrified.
‗That's enough—you can go now. I'll talk to you later.' Sikandar curtly
dismissed her.
He began pacing up and down in a state of anxiety. The heavens had
indeed fallen on him: for the first time he was aware that he and his family
had been fooled by Salar. He had been brazenly lying to them time and
again with absolute cussedness and deceit; he had been cheating them
with impunity and so smoothly that they never suspected him. Had it not
been for the maid, they would have taken his word for it and been content
that he had nothing to do with Imama and her disappearance.
Salar had resumed his classes at college after a few days of incarceration
at home. His father knew that a watch was being kept on Salar and also
what it would mean when Hashim Mubeen came to know the details—he
knew this too well. The relief he had earlier felt had evaporated: he had a
good idea of the nature of those documents, of the presence of five people
in Salar's room, and the nature of the relationship between Salar and
Imama. At this point he wanted to strangle him or shoot him but he knew he
could not do any such thing because among his children he loved Salar the
most. Having been so deceived by him, Sikandar thought to himself that he
would never trust Salar, and would keep him in the dark about his plans,
just as Salar had been doing with them .
------------------
‗How did he get to know Imama?' Sikandar Usman, pacing restlessly in his
room, turned to Tayyaba.
‗How should I know? He's not a child to be led around,' she reacted with
some annoyance.
‗I had warned you more than once, to keep an eye on him… but of course,
if you can spare the time from your own activities…'
‗It's not my responsibility alone to watch over him, Tayyaba burst out. ‗You
should also curtail your activities--why blame me for everything?' ‗I'm not blaming you, and anyway, end this argument. Do you have any
idea what this marriage with Imama means? Hashim Mubeen is going to
play hell when he gets wind of this.'
‗I am still shocked… what led Salar to do such a thing--he gave no thought
to our position in society.
Sikandar was sitting with his wife worrying about their problems with Salar.
‗Hardly are we over with one problem, and he throws up another one at us.
This business must have started last year when she saved him after that
suicide attempt. It was our stupidity not to have paid attention; otherwise
this could have been nipped in the bud.'
‗And I'm sure this girl has been involved in this affair of her own will…..it's
not so simple to go marry someone by force. Look at the way Hashim
Mubeen is accusing Salar for all that's happened--as though his daughter's
totally innocent!' Tayyaba was all worked up again.
‗Whatever it is, it's our son's fault--he'd not be in this mess if it weren't for
his deeds,' said Sikandar flatly. ‗Now you've got to find a way out of this.'
‗It's not as bad as you think,' said Tayyaba.' The police or Hashim Mubeen
have no evidence as yet to frame Salar--and without evidence, they can't
do anything.'
‗Have you thought about what happens when they get the evidence? What
then?' Sikandar Usman retorted.
‗You are talking of possibilities--―what ifs‖--but it has not happened and
maybe, it won't either.'
Sikandar pondered over this.
‗If he has deceived us to this extent then perhaps another aspect of his
deceit could be his not being in touch with the girl. Perhaps, he is in touch
with her...'
‗Perhaps--then what do we do?'
‗If I speak to him, it will be like hitting my head against a wall--he'll lie to me
again, He's an expert liar,' Sikandar's voice was filled with loathing. ‗There
are a few more months to go, to complete his BBA, and then I'll send him
abroad. At least that will take care of our fears of what Hashim Mubeen can
do to him,' Sikandar pulled on his cigarette.
‗But you've forgetting something, Sikandar,' said Tayyaba seriously, after a
short silence.
‗What's that?' Sikandar sat up.
‗Salar's secret marriage with Imama: you have to do whatever needs to be
done about it.'
‗What else can one do except file for divorce?' Sikandar spoke with finality.
‗When he's not ready to accept the marriage, will he be ready to divorce her?'
‗When I show him the proof, he has no choice but to accept it.'
‗And what if he accepts that he married her but refuses to divorce her?'
‗We will have to find a way out—whether he divorces her of his own will or
we force him to do so—I will put an end to this matter. Marriages like this
are nothing but a permanent problem. This situation has to be ended once
and for all--if not, I have decided to disinherit him completely.'
---------------------
Hasan was at one of the Islamabad hotels when his father called him,
asking him to get home immediately. His tone was unusual, but Hasan did
not pay heed. However, when he reached home shortly afterwards, he was
shocked to see Sikandar Usman's car on the porch. He could recognize all
of Salar's cars by their make and registration numbers.
‗Sikandar Uncle has no proof of my involvement in this business, so I
needn't worry. He must have come because I'm Salar's friend and I could
answer some of his questions. I'll do that very calmly and refute any
allegations--my anxiety may make me suspect in my father's eyes so I
must not reveal anything when I meet Sikandar Uncle.
Hasan had it all thought out and planned. He walked into the study,
confident and composed. His father, Qasim Faruqi and Sikandar were
having coffee. Hasan saw that their faces reflected unusual concern and
seriousness.
‗How are you, Uncle Sikandar? You've came to our place after a long time.'
Sikandar and Qasim maintained their silence--there was no response to
Hasan's cheery greeting, but he carried on casually. Sikandar Usman
looked him up and down.
‗Sit down,' Qasim said tersely. ‗Sikandar has some questions for you: you
must answer correctly. If you lie then Sikandar has my permission to take
you to the police. As far as I'm concerned, you can go to hell--I'm not going
to do anything to save you.' Qasim Faruqui had come to the point
immediately.
‗What are you talking about, Papa? I don't get it.' Hasan tried to act
surprised, but his heart was racing. The situation was not as
straightforward as he imagined.
‗Don't try to be overly smart,' his father rebuked him,' Sikandar, ask him
whatever you want to—I'll see how he dares to lie.'
‗Did you attend Salar's marriage with Imama?'
‗Uncle—what marriage? Whose marriage?' Hasan behaved as if he was surprised.
‗The same wedding that took place in my house, in my absence, for which
papers were sent to Imama.'
‗Uncle, please! You are accusing me. I do visit your house but I don't know
anything about Salar's wedding. As far as I know, he has not done any
such thing. I don't even know the girl you're naming….possibly Salar is
involved with some girl, but I don't know about it—he doesn't tell me
everything.'
Sikandar Usman and Qasim Faruqi heard him in silence. When he stopped
speaking Sikandar Usman picked up an envelope lying on the table before
him and drew out some papers. Hasan's face went white--it was Imama
and Salar's nikahnama, the marriage document.
‗Look at this carefully-—these are your signatures, aren't they?' Sikandar
asked coldly. Had Hasan not been questioned before his father, he would
have flatly denied it, but how he was trapped.
‗It is my signature, but I did not sign this,' Hasan stuttered.
‗Then who did this—Salar, or some spirit on your behalf?' Qasim asked, his
tone dripping sarcasm.
Hasan was speechless; he nervously looked at his inquisitors. He had
never suspected, for even a moment, that Sikandar Usman would thus
place the nikah papers before him. He didn't even know where he got those
papers--from Salar or…all his cleverness and cunning had got him
nowhere.
‗So you'll not admit that Salar and Imama's nikah took place in your
presence?' Qasim Faruqui interrogated Hasan.
‗Papa, I had no hand in this; it was all Salar's obstinacy. He forced me.'
Hasan suddenly decided to confess. There was no point in hiding anything
and lying would only weaken his position.
‗I tried to talk him out of this but…' Qasim Faruqi cut him short. ‗This is no
time to explain or justify—that's not what you've been called for. Just tell
me where Salar has kept the girl.'
‗Papa, I know nothing about that,' Hasan said at once.
‗You are lying again.'
‗I swear, Papa, I really do not know anything. He dropped her off in Lahore.'
‗I don't believe this pack of lies--just tell me the truth.' His father spoke
sharply.
‗I am not lying, Papa' Hasan protested.
‗Where in Lahore did he drop her?'
‗On some road; she said she'd find her own way.'
‗Do you think Sikandar and I are fools to believe that Salar would marry the girl, then drop her off on some road in Lahore? Don't try to fool us!' Qasim
Faruqi was furious.
‗I am telling you the truth. At least, that's what he told me. That he'd left her
on some road in Lahore.'
‗Didn't you ask him why he'd married her, if this is what he did?'
‗Papa, he married her to help her out. Her family was forcing her to marry
someone else against her will. She contacted Salar and asked for his
help—he agreed. She wanted Salar to marry her temporarily, so that she
could use the nikah papers to refuse her parents if they insisted on forcing
her.'
Hasan could no longer cover up the reality and he decided to tell them
whatever he knew.
‗If she was held against her will by her parents, her release could be
arranged through a bailiff. There's no question of a love marriage here
because she's in love with someone else. If you read the nikahnama
carefully, you'll see that she has retained the right of divorce, so that she
can file for it without even getting in touch with Salar.'
‗Is that it—or is there any more?' Qasim Faruqi asked Hasan, who just
looked at them quietly, without a word.
‗I do not believe a word of this nice little story, you've made up. I'm not a
child to swallow it. You have to help Sikandar Usman reach Imama,' Qasim
said in a final tone.
‗How can I do that, Papa, when I know nothing of her whereabouts?'
‗How? You have to find out. All I have to say is that you have to find her.'
‗Papa, please believe that I know nothing about Imama. I had nothing to do
with this except to help Salar with the nikah!'
‗You were close enough to Salar to help him with this secret marriage, and
now you say you don't know where his wife is after she ran away from
home? I cannot buy this yarn, Hasan.' Qasim spoke curtly. ‗Even if you
don't know, you will have to find out where she is. Ask Salar, he'll tell you.'
‗He keeps a lot of things from me, Papa.'
‗I'm not concerned with other things he may or may not tell you; all I want to
know is where Imama is. Do whatever you need to, but find out where she
is. And do this without letting Salar know that Sikandar has knowledge of
this secret wedding or that he has met you in this regard. If I learn that
Salar has been told about this, then just remember what I'll do with you.
I've given Sikandar Usman permission to tell Hashim Mubeen about you.
Then it's up to Hashim to deal with you—directly or through the police. It's
your choice now either to keep up your friendship with Salar or live in this
house.' Qasim Faruqi spoke with finality and determination.
‗Papa, I will try somehow to find out about Imama. I'll talk to Salar without
letting him know that Sikandar Uncle has forced this out from me,' Hasan
said mechanically, parrot-like. This time he was trapped beyond his wildest
dreams.
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