Humsafar (short stories)

Aatish e Ishq

Shazia Khan who was standing seeing Burhan enter into there fell down on the sofa. Her duppata fell from her face. Hamza Khan hurriedly covered her face and side-hugged her comforting her. On the other hand Saad and Alina looked at their father with disbelief. Tears fell down Aleena's cheeks. Saad started glaring at his father and sat beside his mother holding her hands

"I I knew all of this since we got married but was unaware of Heyam's presence. He never hurt me. Never in my whole life behaved rudely towards me"
Shazia's voice was lower as always

"Mama"
Hamza tried to stop her by holding her hand

"I wanna forgive him"
Shazia Khan sobbed

Hamza nodded his head in no glaring at his father who sighed heavily feeling guilty. He didn't wanted to break the heart of his both wives but he did unknowingly. He should have known that he couldn't hide it all his life. He did wrong

"Very weak decision Khala yet strong at the same time. I wish it would have been strong in another sense. You're my Khala I gave you the right to punish him. Why did you do this then? Being helpless and bearing torture whether it's mental or physical isn't called love. He betrayed two women by hiding it if he did marry her then he should have told Dada Jaan then yours, Chachu's, and her life could have been saved from being ruined. Now four more lives are being destroyed too. Hurting someone for once is better than hurting anyone for a whole life. I wish you would have taken a stand instead of being scared at that time. You are responsible for all of this but I gave this right to Khala if she has forgiven you then you're forgiven, unfortunately"
Burhan declared giving a disappointed look to his Khala

"Sometimes past favors don't let you do whatever you want and love forces you to go against your desires"
Shazia Khan spoke helplessly remembering how Yahya Khan and Rubina Khan took care of her and her sister Ayesha when their father passed away. Shazia was just five at that time. He got both of them married to his sons so they don't have to leave their house and live happily

"But I wanna punish him, Lala"
Saad for the first time demanded something from Sardar Burhan Khan

"Me too Sardar Saeen! Our mother's tears and our feelings are not that easy to play with"
Hamza Khan announced standing up from the sofa

There was silence in the hall listening to them. Faisal Khan looked at his sons in shock. Suddenly a meek voice got their attention
"Me too Lala"
Aleena spoke with tear-filled eyes. For the first time, she spoke to a non-mahram

Sardar Burhan Khan walked towards Aleena and placed his hand on her covered head. He asked in his dominating voice
"How do you all wanna punish him? He will be punished exactly like that. Heyam's presence doesn't mean your rights will be deprived. You all are as much important to me as you were before. I brought Heyam here just because our family's women can't live out of this haveli all alone in a faraway city. Remember your Sardar decides with justice and he will continue to do it inshAllah I wanna hear your decision"

"I know why Baba hide this from everyone. For sure he was afraid of losing his parents or dying but the important thing was he couldn't live out of this haveli like a common man. He couldn't leave Sardar's family tag. I see how he takes about interest in every matter brought to Sardar. He wants himself to be a prominent personality in the panchayat. He wants to be one of those members without whom any decision can't be taken which he is now. Whether it's any village in Buner Valley they need Baba's presence to make even a mere decision. He couldn't become Sardar but he enjoys Sardar's liberties. He's a respected renowned man who he always wanted to be. He got attached to Burhan Khan as he was the next Sardar. He started teaching him whatever he wanted in a Sardar and didn't want his position to be snatched. He works for women's rights but here four women are suffering because of him. We all know that no police of any political party can make a decision here if our Sardar is denied. In Buner Valley Sardar is a king and after the King comes Baba the prime minister who deals with all the internal matters and implements Sardar's orders. The person who can't treat his wives and children equally and doesn't deserve such a post. I don't want him to even be there in any panchayat. I want you to take away Baba's post and never in his life enter any panchayat and announce to every single person in every village that Faisal Khan is a betrayal person. He betrayed two women. I want every person to know that the guy who takes a stand for women in Buner Valley destroyed two women's lives just for his selfishness. I want you to take away the post for which he worked for more than 50 years. I will take away that cause for which we got destroyed. The most important thing in my father's life. His aim. His achievement. You're left with nothing baba just a mere member of Haveli nothing else. No more meetings with the president and prime ministers. No more royal blood attitude. He will live in Gujranwala from now on but not Heyam until forgiven"
Hamza Khan announced glaring at his father who was too shocked to speak