page 244

....Shahid returned to his bedroom  to find dikky sitting  there with his bag open,  three types of eye drops  stood on the table before him,   labeled   morning  afternoon  and evening  respectively,  picking up the evening drops dikky  squeezed a few drops in his good eye  keeping the eye shut he spoke to Shahid  is uncle  feeling well 

Your unfair statement against  dada Jan  has  hurt my father   very much  explained Shahid  rather  dryly 

It is best for him to stay in bed  spoke dikky  strangely  though I wasn't aware  that abbu sold tge house which was dada Jan  s , I wrongly believed all this time  you all were  having a  wealthy lifestyle   spending  dada Jan  s money,  he opened his eye to put back tge eye drops in the bag

Why three types of different drops for the same eye  Poked Shahid,  is there some serious problem with you  and your eye 

The doctor also has the same opinion  he replied  uncaringly  that is why  three  different  drops were given me , 

Could you please explain what exactly happened to your other eye asked Shahid  cautiously 

page 231

....within next few days he gathered enough information on shamina , she had done her m bbs but was not practicing during her mbbs days she  was married to a Germany returned  wealthy man  who divorced  or rather sge did him , after khula  her ex husband  shifted to  Germany 

Faraz ali adored his daughter  always supported her emotional and financial needs  he was a man of rigid principles  , nobody could  go against his principles not even he himself 

One day nashad met sgammi and she erupted angrily,  her nose was quite broad and rage made it look even worse she attacked  nashad,  what was he doing and what the heck he thought of her she wasn't a fool,  she exactly knew who was he meeting 

Nashad  did his best to explain  it wasn't really what she was thinking  she was completely mistaken,  he was interested in shayri  , his family was interested in her , but he was only interested  in her poetry,  she was asking his opinion on her compositions that's all

charaghar

... nashad had shifted to Lahore from Karachi,  impressive  housing society  was his new residence of his own,  his house  was built in a  sprawling area,  fantastically  fully decorated interiors  , because the house had been  kept locked  fir over two years  it  needed  some repairs and  thorough cleaning up,  therefore  Nasha gad reached his house in Lahore five days earlier 

, his wife was supposed to come later with their  one  and half year old infant 

A plumber and carpenter were  working  in the house,  there was a beautiful  wooden  cabinet in the master bedroom,  it needed some  retouching  at its back , the gap had to be fixed so things won't fall down 

Nadim the carpenter  on nashad s orders  pushed aside the cabinet  away from the wall several  fallen things  were  found  on the floor 

A few children's books, a few pencils,  one ballpoint  a few visiting cards  and  several  small more items,  there was something more that astonished him , he sat motionless  staring at it 

from previous

... ear specialist  sat his patient  , the patient asked nervously  what was hus fees

Only two thousand 

Nine thousand  the nervous man asked to confirm 

The greed  suddenly  took over the specialist and he rudely replied  fifteen thousand 

The poor patient  nodded submissively

from previous

..one  time  mirza ghalib  received a huge selection of dastarkhwan from admirers,  the silverware were  massive in size but food was  barely enough 

, the poet wisely  stated the utensils  were a royal display of wealth  and food a miserable  poverty  stricken  leftovers 

page 223

...a young man appeared  at a military  office  to join the army   in Vietnam,  he was certain he will fail his medical eye check up , he was short sighted, the army officer  asked him to describe tge map  from ten feet away,  tge canditate  could nit see anything  , he was stood  near the map   a couple of feet from the chart yet he couldn't  find  the locations,  

He was passed  fit  for r hand to hand combat 

page 211

....his flat was as  disarranged as his  life,  he quickly  turned aside the bed mattress,  under it was some  change of coins   and amidst them some bullets   he quickly  filled up his pockets with  metalic  sounding  coins and  bullets  and picked up his revolver,  the weight  of the revolver  suggested it was fully loaded 

George was still in tge corridor  when he spotted danger , two men emerged   from the lift and leaped  towards George,  he in a fraction of a  second  decided what he must do,  he turned to run,  the two  men  screaming chasing after him 

George got inside his flat locked out the intruders  , at that very moment  tge locked door shuddered,  both men in their   wickedest  form fiercely had thrown themselves onto the locked door 

page 100

...the  wedding house was cleaned up after the event was over,   it was time to prepare for lunch,  all the guests were gone,  after ages of  chaos  the house was back on routine,  peaceful and silent 

I am thinking of cooking something  simple  Asya   asked her daughter's  advice 

Bhai won't be home for lunch  nor will be abbu present at lunch,  the fridge is overloaded  with kebabs and biryani,  my suggestion is don't cook anything for lunch  , we shall cook fresh food for dinner later in the evening  arram came to sit by her side  comfortably,  at that very moment shanya walked into the room,   how fond of decorating  herself she was,  every time she emerged from her room  she looked spectacular,   exactly  like a newly wedded bride,  

Aslamalekum 

Mashalla, how lovely you look in that color 

page 96

...arram was still inside the kitchen working with  her domestic maid,  the outstation  guests had arrived  the night before,  though  taufiq sahib had  arranged  breakfast  from outside   yet everyone needed  something special from the kitchen  so arram and Asya had to be present in the kitchen  along with their three helpers 

What are you doing being here still  ahad asked  he had been looking for her 

Arranging tea snacks for the guests in the house 

That all can be taken care of by others you have to get your  bridal done in the parlor  it's your wedding  he held her by her wrist pushing her out of the kitchen 

You too get ready on time  or the guests would think you are abducting the bride 

ahad e wafa

....what was illuminated,  there wasn't any space left in  the hall  after annual grand slam  competition ,both   male and female audiences were  spectacularly enthusiastic  , everyone was actively  betting,  there graph rapidly  increasing 

George  avil appeared  with haunting music in dim lights in lighted jacket,  , his name was announced for  competition,  in his   personal style  swaying he reached the ring,  lights were now fully showing his massive physique  , hus skin had loosened up from his limbs and  body,  his muscles also had  lost their grip , he had spent  his best  phase of life 

kya hy ye muhabbet bhi

....any news about her, asked balqees beghum  the moment  he stepped Into the lounge no trace of her 

No no trace of her  spoke  Umar collapsing I the sofa 

What kind of officer are you,  whole city  works under you,  you have  the power  and capability to catch deadly criminals in a blink  but you failed completely to find your own wife missing for three days,  she made her painful point  

She is bigger than therm all criminal,  others  always leave  some clues behind them  and she  simply vanished without  leaving any sign  I could have followed the trail to reach her, he helplessly  rubbed his hands together 

page 188

... when ever  someone   takes  the support of lies there are roughly  one or more than  one of four  main reasons behind it,

Number one he wants  to benefit from this 

Second he wants to avoid  damage  to himself 

Number three  he  wants to escape from danger 

Number four  he intends to put others in trouble 

This realization had dawned  in his mind s eyes  and he had to use tactics to  solve the case  by finding out the truth from the three suspects 

page 93

...shanya couldn't  resist   having  new dresses  for life,  whatever she touched  abid bought it right away  Asya was getting  weary  , not liking the piling up of fancy dresses  not practically useful because the weather was changing 

Arram and shanya  were   selecting  jewelry  , they  almost whispered to abid 

Don't worry,   the manner in which we were married    remains a closed topic because  it's not speakable and likeable,  today  abid would have plucked  stars from the sky just for her on her command,  perhaps he ought not to have come at all,  he became thoughtful,  seeing  the signs of exhaustion on their faces  arram decided to postpone  leftover shopping 

But I want to buy more  shanya  was stubbornly persistent 

You can  finish your shopping with abid 

The other two would go back home 

Asya spoke  gently,  abid on their  insistence  called a taxi 

page 88

...the first  Sunray  kissed the face of the earth,  the refreshing  dawn  woke up stretching like a newly wedded bride,  but the beauty and ethereal  magic was meant only for those who had  spent the night in wellness,  their etes had in fact   swollen  from sleepless nights,  early morning hours  information  came   rajya had become mother of two,  the twins were born premature,  they were kept under observation 

Asia fall down  before almighty in the prayer room for blessings and forgiveness  suggested o,d grandmother  in a shaking  emotional voice 

God has saved you and your sons and also your grandsons 

Rajya was emotionally  wrenched out drained completely of all her energy 

Angnaa phool khilengey

...shanya s footsteps  stopped at the door 

There was a shot a bullet shot 

Her heart trembled  and sunk in the depths of fear

Chaos  erupted amongst the women gathered  near the door, 

All of them  rushed inside  and shanya  ran towards  outside 

She was aware who had fired the shot  and who was the target 

She had forgotten   that  prayers made  fullfiment  of happiness certain 

When prayers are answered  gratitude follows not pride and  injustice 

Someone caught hold of the wrist of the bride running away 

She couldn't see the whole  face  unable to identify 

Men surrounded the injured 

Women were  ordered to get inside 

Women randomly were following crowds 

Some Women were pulling back the bride 

page 71

...o you  city man,  remove this old vintage  out from here 

, this was his first day at the university and he git puzzled  by the first voice in the morning  scared of uttering any sound he was speechless completely as if a sound from him would  scare away all the birds  pigeons  ravens  from the trees , he was equally  frightened  and nervous 

He was bew to the town,  just a couple of days ago  and his spirits were  blown off  , he turned to look around  to spot her dressed in a short shirt and looses trousers by a shiny car staring at him,  later he discovered the trousers were ber father's,  brought by her father the  American magazines  cover models  she was there presenting herself 

Television had just been  colored,  everywhere  colored Television was in trend and great demand,  standing by her shiny polished car  with the university at the background  she looked  colored  trendy in demand  and the rest of the world bkack and white outdated 

ziddi

...Helga  emerged from the house to leave for the university  but seeing Eric leaning against the car  she pursed her lips  in annoyance,  Eric straightened himself when he saw Helga  , a smile  appeared on his lips 

Helga shut the door,  hanging her bag on her shoulder she crossed him,  he ran around the car to follow her 

Listen Helga  I am also going to the university  , you come along with me,  he invited her , sge stopped to turn to glare at him  ,how dare you  

I love you  he stood facing her blocking her way 

You have so many girl friends,  speak to them,  I can't be fooled  into  your  trap  Helga  s voice  was bitter  sarcastic,  just leave me alone,  stop stalking me or I go to the police 

Helga  briskly  walked towards the bus stop  without  glancing back  the bus stand was near her house,  Eric was enraged  and  clenched his fists,  his  usual white face turned red

janleva haath

....mahira failed to brake in time,  she wasn't expecting anyone to cross  her speeding  her bug vehicle  at this early hour of the day when the dawning sun wasn't even fully risen over the sky, the man was certainly  lost in himself   ,

Mera s watch showed it was exactly  quarter to six  when sge had reached the three lane drive with her vehicle,  the month of June had started  ,

She  was just recently orphaned last month  but as her old habit was she  would drive her dead father's old four wheel vehicle out to  drive around vaguely in town till seven 

It was definitely her misfortune that day  , the three lane was absolutely vacant,  leaving the fast lane she took the bus lane   with silver  lines

ap kahan hain

...again I have composed my poem 

Bringing the moon down on the earth 

Speaking to the burning sun

Sharing my experiences of sorrows and joys 

Now who will tell 

Which letter to join 

To form words to speak 

What words suit the best 

What words were dry and wasted 

Now who will tell me that 

Dear benefactor of mine 

Where are you 

chor machaye shor

...Brenda entered the house  and  whispered looking at the incredible condition of her living room  , she with her close friend Carol Martin had just returned from  Sunday church service,  she knew there had been a robbery  , their newly bought television has disappeared her  magazines always neatly arranged on the coffee table were flung down on the floor,  the book shelf on the wall was  scattered,  someone had searched thoroughly something,  several books from the shelf were  thrown down 

Both women stood frozen in the doorway incredulous  looking  at the muddy  big footsteps all over  going to bedrooms  and from there to bathroom  to dining room  to the kitchen,  the kitchen  back door was ajar  , the robber had escaped with his   robbery 

Call the police  suggested Carol 

Brenda nodded,  opening her purse she pulled out her phone  about to make the call  when  Carol  tracing the soiled footprints  followed to the kitchen don't touch anything   called out Brenda  , three weeks ago  there had been a robberyin Carol s house too  so she was  aware of it not to touch anything 

mushkal asaan

....the night had passed  midnight  , Hillary queen  was enjoying his deep slumber,  the land-line  phone  rang shrilly and he was wide awake his sleep ruined  his sweet dreams shattered,  rubbing his eyes he fumbled on his sidetable  and soon enough found his glasses  , putting them on his nose he received the call  speaking   his hello in a sleepy voice,  he glanced at the digital clock  that was showing  thirteen minutes past two  past midnight 

I want to speak to Mr Hillary  , the   male caller spoke in a  French accent ,  with private  detective  mister Hillary 

from previous

....three days later she found herself  not well,  she spoke to her assistant miss naghat on the phone  to give leave card to the girls on weekend  to go with their families 

Weather was changing,  winters were  on it's climax,  the days had shrunk,  she was kept busy on her routine work in the office  when  asma a second year student appeared in her office with another student,  she was shivering with  bone chilling cold , she was given warm milk to drink,  a staff woman  was called from the college to assist asma to the nearest dispensary with a headfirst to take care of the situation,  they returned with medicines,  she was sent to her dormitory  with the headfirst,  they were to stay there until her roommates returned after the weekend was over,  within few minutes the headfirst returned  with a strange  information that  when they had reached asma s room and about to open the door some voices were heard from inside,  one male voice was prominent,  asna was left waiting outside in the sun as the headfirst had come back quickly to report to her

page 65

....he happened to see her after a very long time,  at least  more than a year  had passed,  she wasn't herself but her ghost,  extremely  weak,  all her facial beauty  disappeared into the bones , her rosiness  turned to ashen complexion,  dark hollow circles around her etes , she looked  frightened  and nervous,  wrapped around her was a black shawl  draping her entire body,  her half face  hidden behind a naqab,  along with her was her  mother in law,  seeing him both of them stopped, he began  enquiring  the elder woman,  who erupted immediately 

Don't ask me what our life has come to be,  my son is the only bread winner and so many mouths to feed, ecer since this woman has entered our home  her misfortune has cast a  spell on us , with that the mother in kaw  slapped her with her both hands on her waist,  sometimes sge sge falls down  unconscious,  on other times sge faints  with her head spinning,  her father simply git rid of her by dumping her on our heads 

gumshuda

...finally  Olivia decided to clean up the house  herself,  it would be satisfying in a way  to clean  Neil's house of the things  that were troubling him to his soul 

Her nephew  Neil's  wife  karen had disappeared a year ago,  her car was found  by the roadside,  with  it's headlights  on and all doors open  but Karen was missing 

Eleven months  passed by  waiting for any kind of her news good or bad,  then Eleven months later  her purse was found by the police   two miles outside the town   near a forest  near a  stream,  Neil's  family almost had come to believe it that Karen was dead  so they arranged a mass in the church 

Olivia was certain  Neil her nephew would   choose to compromise,  perhaps  mourn for a few more days   and then  move on in life  and be alive again 

When  Neil was called up to speak something  about Karen  he stared blankly at her  picture  after five  troubled minutes  he spoke  in a  trembling voice  I remember  you   had said you loved me 

page 97

...Toni repeated the same story   in the same manner as she had arranged the sequence,  plain devoid of emotions  though it was a complete   pretense,  marya knew her since early school days 

You can't fool me , you care so much about this man,  you are in love with him,  am I mistaken , she spoke  sharply shaking her head 

What does it matter to you 

Swallowing her pride Toni confessed  her own  experiences with men  had been totally different  mostly unsuccessful but max was absolutely different 

Somebody  put the record stranger in paradise  , hearing Toni became  quite energetic,  max has significantly  given hints his marriage won't last long  , perhaps I secretly wish that too  , if we keep on seeing each other Shawn will   free them 

Dedh hoshiar

....max  winter was speaking softly like always,  don't you worry darling,  we shall get  his heart out,  listen,  dear I can't speak  much  right now I love you,  max shut down the phone kept on the table 

Sorry  it was my wife's phone call  , the domestic maid didn't turn up today 

That's all right  said  Shawn  a smile on his lips,  he was the  c e i of the company  and  didn't care about such petty matters,  if anything the matter was he would simply  push it aside  as unimportant,  he gave a sidelong glance at max , max realized  he ought to have  shut the call immediately   when Shawn was there,  he had made Shawn wait twenty  long  seconds 

Because   max always  would find some time fir Rebecca whenever she called  no matter how much busy he  was,  he never  left   her call on voice mail  even when  Shawn waited impatiently  outside  his door 

jungle

....he and nadim were  looking towards that door , the door was softly  banging rhythmically,  the woman was calling inaudibly  from inside 

Ramzan are you alright,  where are you

  nadim turned to look at him  , should we go inside and enquire 

But there is that woman  , he was alarmed,  perhaps sge tok wanted to be quietened,  

He clutched him from his collar and started arguing,  who is she 

Suddenly the door began banging  loudly  as her voice rose  higher  asking ramzan if it was him,  nadim pulled out a dagger from his knee pocket,  shining metal was dangerously threatening  it was strategy to make him  speak 

Shehzad was my childhood friend  and chaudhary is my mentor  he quickly explained 

He asked surprised  chaudhary karamat  you mean 

Yes my death will weigh you down heavily  so think again he spoke  firmly  trying to escape for the last time 

His first reaction  was when nadim handed him the dagger to erase him   to quickly  slit his throat because he must avenge his humiliation but then his brain spoke to him what after that,  , he will escape all the humiliation he had gone through,  he won't kill him but  keep him  alive  and keep on insulting him adding insults to his injuries 

umeed ka minar

....it was one of the bone chilling   afternoon in Frankfurt,  mir Taj  wrapped up tightly in a worn out  old overcoat sat on a university bench trying desperately to catch some  warmth from the dim sunlight,  he was so much engrossed in his own thoughts that he failed to see the girl  who came to stand directly before him , his mind was  drawn by a melodic voice,  ,you apparently look  overwhelmingly  worried,  is there some matter with you 

Mir Taj startled lifted his head up, she was a young girl thin and like him dressed up in old torn winter wear to keep herself warm m her nose had turned red with harsh blood freezing cold , she had addressed him in english but her accent was native giving her originality away 

Bahar rut aney se pehle

...doctor Esa was walking  very fast purposefully  as if in a great hurry to reach somewhere,  he was headed towards the lift m he pushed the button,  the door opened  he quickly got inside  it , he pressed the button of the floor he wanted to go,  reaching his desired floor he quickly  git out when the door opened  , he stepped into the hall, where  an international  conference fir doctors was  arranged,  it was a  location in London,  the  extraordinary  doctors  experts in their own specialty  were invited , doctor Esa was an  expert  heart surgeon specialist,  fir years he was serving  the needy 

He pushed open the door to the hall and stepped inside,  the conference was about to commenced in a few seconds,   each  participant  turn by turn was introduced and given  time to speak  to the  congregation  about his research,  doctor Esa sat watching other doctors I the gathering  after his speech was over 

takmeel

... roads  echoed  the traffic noises,  honking  horns endlessly,  , voices rising   high and loud above  them all,  hustling  activities,  a pit in the middle of the street and  everyone going around  it ,  shops  on the side  dazzled  invitingly   , a line of  vendors  serving  delicious food  stood besides,  air was filled  with  roasted meat kebabs   smoke layers   drifted temptingly   far and wide 

Danyal  gave a kick to the bike  one two three  , he was kicking it hard  but even after  number of times  it refused to start stubborn like a girl friend

Brother  show it to a mechanic,  it breeds some  spending money  and  attention 

project

...inside a closed room sat three well dressed boys and a girl,  they sat  in a row in chairs,  she was Angelina, her parents were extremely poor,  she was the eldest among her four sisters and one brother,  after her father's sudden death all the  heavyweight of household responsibilities  shifted onto her delicate  shoulders,  she  found a good company job after a very long hard struggle,  the financial condition of her family  improved  slightly  but Angelina  constantly  worked very hard to improve  and get higher and better position 

Shankar a software engineer sat next to Angelina,  his endless aspirations  did not let him rest , next to Shankar sat Isaac  a fresh graduate,  his potential  was promising,  David was next to Isaac  , David was a brainy genius,  he was a passionate learner  , his deep interest in literature  and poetry was amazing,  he had a knack for storytelling 

page 13

... the only woman in the surkhab  Manzil was teacher shamina  Jamal,  she was in her mid thirties  an ordinary looking woman  who also wore spectacles but her complexion was absolutely fantastic  strawberry and cream,   religious lessons to salha were given  him by fazal kareem

Shahnawaz   had built  a swimming pool  in a corner of the green lawn  for his only son's  happiness,  , the pool water reflected  greenery  of the surroundings  , the depth of the pool was just five feet , in hisoare time  salha would sit by the side of the pool swinging hus feet in the pool water making imaginary patterns  , in the evenings he played  badminton with teacher shamina 

page 11

....Sarah had gone,  thereafter  Shahnawaz  signed the divorce papers and had them sent to her parents,  khayyam  received the legal documents of  getting  together and getting separated  , he never made mistakes 8n such matters 

The phone bell rang,  Shahnawaz picked up the receiver,  on the other end  it was their Lahore  company number showing,  the manager explained had he reached the  place as was the earlier program  they could have  saved  millions of dollars  but now it was  a great loss 

Shahnawaz did feel  the pain of losing so much  but he  possessed more brains and  heart,  he knew life  was full of  ups and downs  joys and sorrows   and so was the business  unpredictable  any time either profitable or  a loss