Lost and Found

Chapter 13

Flashback: April, 2014.

Today was finally the day that I got my visa, after months of struggling I had finally got the permission to go to Pakistan which means more than half of my procedure was almost done and now I just couldn't wait to set my foot back in my homeland. A year of planning, praying and hard work and all the effort Irtiza and I did will finally be successful, our dream of starting an education and health program in the rural areas of Pakistan would finally be achieved and I can't thank Allah enough, last year when Irtiza informed me about success of secondary school system and dispensary in his family town in interior Sindh I was quite motivated and asked him that if I could be of any help? And a month later we both sat together planning to expand the school and dispensary to other small towns and villages, so this year we are taking our first step and building a primary and secondary school in a neighboring town. All the initial steps of building the school to get the students was already planned and Alhamdulillah we have enough financial requirement settled so now the only work is to get there and start our project. After a long time, I am feeling so much excited about something.

Ten days later, when I step my feet on the land I haven't seen in such a long time a lot of emotions flooded in and the most prominent one was happiness, we were supposed to stay three days in Karachi and meet our family members and then go to Hala. As soon as we exited the airport lounge and out of the air conditioned atmosphere the hot summer air of Karachi welcomed us and before I could even say a thing I heard Irtiza sigh;

"Baba was right we should have chosen December for this trip." And I laughed, "It's gonna be okay buddy! Seems like our drives our waiting." And with that we both walked towards our separate drives, his cousin was there for him while I was joining Salman chachoo and Sabih. The rest three days went by in a blur of going around, meeting relatives and visiting Karachi branch of ZIST and I was beyond cloud nine to see how far we have come.

The fourth day was the day when we finally left and started our three hours journey after Fajar, it was obviously different to drive on the highways of Pakistan but it was good in its own way. The refreshing morning breeze and those small food stalls serving tea and different type of curry, then on the other side small children running along the cars, different trucks decorated with bright colors and strange slogan which were rather amusing but creative, I could try to give them that. When we finally reached our destination we were greeted by numerous villagers who were there to welcome us, their warm attitude was that won our hearts and the motivation of bringing the change just got leveled up. We were invited over by everyone, the welcoming smile was the assurance of our success and I silently thank Allah for making me capable enough to make others smile. But our smiles were short lived when after the two days of the starting of construction of both the buildings, we were surrounded by three black Hilux and around ten armed men surrounded us with their landlord started making a chaos and questioning us. The typical representation of 'wadera system', silently praying I stepped forward ignoring their harsh and intolerable behavior and answered their questions which were now getting on my nerve, but losing my temper to them would be the easy step for losing my and most importantly dream of all those innocent who are surrounding us and are working hard to get their kids their birth right, freedom is everyone's birth right and because this man standing in front of the locals were missing it, soon Irtiza and I went with the landlord to his house which was sign of his arrogance and profligacy. Here where he had multiple expensive cars standing he can't even built a proper road for his people to walk. Soon he started talking all the rubbish I was expecting, turned out his another brother was in states and his own two son studies abroad but his daughter because they would be married in another household can only have the position in kitchen! Oh! how I wish Javeria would be with me right now this person would have heard an earful!