The Black Rainbow

by Hussain Zaidi

  “He did so! I don’t believe it.”

  “Yes he did,” Farzana replied. “Though he didn’t say anything, that was enough to drive me crazy and arouse my love for him. After remaining on tenterhooks for a few days I met Rashid and told him all about myself and Ali. Subsequently, on Rashid’s request, Ali met him and told him that he didn’t love me and that he’ll be happier if Rashid married me. However, Rashid lied to my father and told him that Ali had told him that he loved me, that we had physical relations and requested Rashid to break the engagement. When father came to know of this, he shot up and the rest you know.”

  “Oh I see! So Rashid played the proverbial bad guy,” Mrs Naqvi remarked. “Why did he do that? We leave this for the moment. But this all started when Ali kissed you, which made you believe that he too loved you — the belief that you had always nourished. Isn’t it?”

  Mrs Naqvi first thought of calling Ali and seeking an explanation. But on second thought she didn’t deem it fit, because it would put him into an embarrassing position. Besides, that might lead Ali to speak of Sara in Farzana’s presence, which Mrs Naqvi didn’t want. So she told Farzana to go home.

  After Farzana had gone, Mrs Naqvi gave Ali an account of what the former had told her. “How do you account for your behavior?” she asked him.

  The question drove Ali into embarrassment and he didn’t utter a word. “Your silence will do us no good. You have to decide what you want or probably you don’t know what you want.”

  “Mother I owe you and father an apology and to Farzana as well. But believe me what I did was purely involuntary and I even didn’t realize what I was doing. Farzana is a nice girl but on my part, there’s nothing between us. This is all I have to say,” Ali explained.

  “Ok, this settles the matter as far as you are concerned. But we also need to help Farzana. Why did Rashid lie about you to Javed Bhai? What I understand is that after hearing from Farzana that she loved you, he got jealous of you and thus poisoned the ears of Javed Bhai,” Mrs Naqvi opined.

  “But mother Rashid seemed to me a reasonable person.”

  “Appearances are often deceptive my son,” Mrs Naqvi remarked. “But let’s not get philosophical. I know you have much of that every day. Anyway, Farzana doesn’t deserve a liar like Rashid. But the problem is how to bring her father around to this. Ok I’ll think over it. But you had better concentrate on your studies.”

  Chapter 20

  The White Mosque brigands continued to get music and video shops closed in adjoining areas and the police failed to stop them. The police did make repeated requests to the authorities to allow them to enter the seminary affiliated with the mosque but they were not allowed. The government in fact didn’t take the matter seriously. Another reason was that religious parties were supporting the Malik Naseem government and he didn’t want to annoy them.

  On the other hand, the management and students of the White Mosque were encouraged by the reluctance of the law enforcement agencies to act against them and increased their activities. The students would go to the markets and warn women against shopping if they weren’t accompanied by men. When they saw a young man and woman in the market, they would ask them whether they were related. If they failed to satisfy them, the students would beat up the man and threaten the woman. They would also direct women to clad themselves in burqas. All this created resentment among the residents of the area and they requested the government to bridle the White Mosque students but such requests fell on deaf ears of the authorities.

  But then an incident took place, which aroused the authorities from their slumber. About one mile from the White Mosque was located a beauty-cum-fitness centre run by one Mrs Khan — a high class bitch in her younger days and now a top class pimp. Her fitness centre named Khan’s Parlor supplied girls to the elite of the city including foreign diplomats.

  The White Mosque students wanted to have the parlor closed and they sent a warning to Mrs Khan to wind up her business or face the consequences. But Mrs Khan didn’t take this warning seriously, because she believed given her connections and customers no one dared to touch her.

  But she had underestimated the zeal of the White Mosque students to rid the society of evil. One night, a band of the students, with the permission of Maulvi Zia, stormed into Khan’s Parlor. They thrashed the staff and abducted two foreign diplomats, coming of a very powerful country. The diplomats were taken to the seminary and locked up. That was enough to shake the govt. After attempts by the authorities to secure the release of the diplomats had failed, for which there was mounting pressure from their home country, prime minister Malik Naseem personally made a call to Maulvi Zia and requested him to see him immediately.

  Maulvi Zia, who was at that time in the capital, was keenly waiting for such a request. So in the evening, he drove to the prime minister house, where Malik Naseem was waiting for him.

  “Maulvi sahib how are you?” Malik Naseem greeted him.

  “By the grace of Allah I’m fine my brother but you seem to be a little uneasy.”

  “Yes indeed and you can get me out of my uneasiness.”

  “I’ll be pleased to do anything I can,” Maulvi Zia assured him.

  “In that case, please let the diplomats free and make sure your students don’t do such things in future,” the prime minister told him plainly.

  “I’m afraid this I cannot do,” Maulvi Zia was equally plain.

  “Why? Your students have kidnapped them and you know where they are. You just have to order them,” Malik Naseem said angrily.

  “I don’t deny that my students have kidnapped the diplomats and we both know where they are —of course in my seminary — but I cannot order their release, simply because I ordered the abduction.”

  “Look Zia sahib, I have already given leeway to your students because I did not want to annoy you. But enough is enough. I can’t give them license to act the way they want, especially when it risks our foreign relations. So you are advised to release them immediately, otherwise we would act and I can’t guarantee the life and liberty of your students,” Malik Naseem threatened the visitor.

  “We never asked you to give us leeway or license. We had just asked you to honor your commitment that you made to me before you became the prime minister but you turned back on your word. As for your threats, if your men can storm into my mosque, go ahead,” Maulvi Zia spoke in the same tone.

  “Maulvi sahib I know I haven’t been able to honor my commitment and I’m profoundly sorry for that. As I told you earlier, my hands are tied. I need some time, some space before I can terminate the operation against the militants. You have never been in the government but I’m and therefore understand the constraints of the govt. But if you create problems for me, my constraints would increase and it would become increasingly difficult for me to help your cause, which is also my cause. You know, the army chief called me earlier in the day and told me to secure the release of the diplomats at the earliest. You know the nationality of these diplomats. Their ambassador called on me last night and I assured him that his men would be free in twenty-four hours. What I’m to do now,” Malik Naseem said.

  “Now I understand what makes you so concerned — the army chief, the ambassador. But if you are answerable to these people, I’m also answerable to my people — the very people who brought you at the helm. These people ask me when will the military operation against them come to an end? When will an unconditional ceasefire ensue? What I’m to tell them? How am I to satisfy them? You are concerned about couple of foreigners, but you damn care about thousands of my people. Probably you care only about yourself,” Maulvi Zia said with contempt.

  “Yes I’m concerned about myself and who else would not be? I have secured this position after decades of struggle and I wouldn’t allow anyone to unseat me. But my position is also beneficial for your cause — if not today, tomorrow certainly — because the alternative to me is the previous government, whose foremost agenda was to root out militancy. So pleas
e help me today so that I can help you tomorrow. If you want to play, then go for a win-win situation rather than a lose-lose one,” Malik Naseem implored Zia.”

  “Here you’re Malik sahib. We should both play for a win-win situation. If I release the diplomats, it’ll be a victory for you, but what would I get? You talk about a win-win situation but you actually want a win-lose situation. So please come up with a win-win solution,” Maulvi Zia advised the premier.

  “And what can be a win-win solution in these circumstances?” a bewildered Malik Naseem asked?

  “It’s very simple,” Maulvi Zia put it with a smile.” You release the twenty militants that security forces nabbed last week from Peshawar and I’ll set the diplomats free. What can be a better win-win situation?”

  “But those militants are very dangerous and carried head money of at least one million rupees each,” Malik Naseem objected.

  “That’s why I’m offering this deal to you.”

  Malik Naseem realized that he was checkmated by Maulvi Zia and that he had no option except to say ‘yes’ to his proposal. “Ok but I need to take the army chief into confidence before I go ahead with the proposal,” he told Zia.

  “That’s fine with me. Talk to your masters and then get back to me. I’m in no haste,” a triumphant Maulvi Zia remarked and walked out of the prime minister’s office with his head held high.

  In few hours, he was informed that the militants had been set free. Accordingly, he ordered his students to release the captive diplomats.

  While sitting in the department’s library, Ali received a note from Dr Junaid asking him to see the latter immediately.

  “Sir you wanted to see me,” Ali enquired as he entered the professor’s office.

  Dr Junaid remained silent and mentioned Ali to a chair. “I have called you to tell you that the faculty is not satisfied with your performance. You level of participation in the class is unsatisfactory. In fact, most of the time you are conspicuous by your silence. Nor are your assignments up-to-the-mark. Do let me know frankly what’s wrong with you.”

  Dr Junaid’s remarks left Ali high and dry. He looked abstractly at the professor but then picked up courage and began: “Sir I’m sorry that I have disappointed you. At times I have a lot to say but cannot speak for the fear of being wrong. But sir I assure you that I’ll do my best to come up to your expectations.”

  “I trust you’ll. In case you feel there is a special area where you need counseling, please don’t hesitate a bit to inform me or any other member of the faculty,” Dr Junaid told him.

  “Thanks sir. I’ll.” Ali half rose thinking that his interview was over.

  “Please keep seated. There’s another matter I want to talk to. Whatever I say should be treated as confidential. I believe I can count on you,” Dr Junaid spoke with an air of secrecy.

  “Sir rest assured,” Ali replied and tried to guess what that confidential matter could be.

  “How much you know about Sara,” Dr Junaid put an unexpected question.

  “Sara! You mean Sara who is my classmate?”

  “Yes it’s the same Sara I’m referring to,” Dr Junaid affirmed. “I’m asking this, because I’m told in the department, it’s you who are on most intimate terms with her.”

  “Sir not much I’m afraid, except that she is the most intelligent student in our class.” Ali had decided that he wouldn’t say a word about Sara’s father to Dr Junaid, because she had seen him at the residence of Maulvi Zia.

  “You don’t know her family?”

  “I’m afraid sir not. Actually, our discussions are only academic. She has never asked me about my family and I haven’t either.”

  “If I ask you to do me a favor and tell me about her family and personal life, would you be kind enough to do so?” Dr Junaid asked.

  Ali took a deep breath as if to muster courage to turn down the request. “Sir if you want to know anything about Sara, why don’t you ask her directly?”

  “If I need to ask her, I’ll. But should I presume that you are not going to oblige me?”

  “I’m sorry sir but your presumption is correct. I think I should be off now.”

  Dr Junaid looked at Ali angrily and nodded.

  Ali came out of Dr Junaid’s office trying to figure out why the professor was interested in knowing about Sara’s family. “May be it has something to do with Sara’s father or her visit to Maulvi Zia. Maybe he knows that Sara’s father is Seth Nisar and that he works for Maulvi Zia. So probably he wants to ascertain the connection between the two.”

  Ali’s chain of thought was broken by the sweet voice of Sara. “Where you were? You weren’t in the library?” she asked.

  “Actually, I was called by Dr Junaid, who advised me to improve my performance,” he spoke half truth and concealed half.

  “I guess he was nice with you.”

  “Yes indeed. He offered me any help that I need.”

  “That’s nice. I have also got to see him to discuss my research proposal. Can you wait for me in the library?”

  Ali didn’t want Sara to meet Dr Junaid. “He has some guests,” he lied to her.

  “Ok I’ll wait or may visit his home in the evening.” But then noticing that Ali wasn’t listening to her asked him where he was.

  Ali, who was in a dilemma whether to tell Sara all about Dr Junaid decided that he should tell her, especially when she intended to visit his home.

  “Sara there’s something important I want to talk to you.” Ali said in a serious tone. “But promise me you’ll keep it to yourself.”

  Sara was surprised at that seriousness and confidentiality on the part of Ali and promised to do so. Ali gave her the full account of what Dr Junaid had asked him about her.

  Sara took a deep breath and thanked Ali for the information. “I guess you are right. It has something to do with my father and Maulvi Zia. Ok I’m going to see Dr Junaid but will keep our conversation under my hat. Can you wait for me?”

  Sara went to Dr Junaid’s office, while Ali made his way to the library. On the way, he met Javed. “Friend Sara was looking for you. Did you meet her?” Javed asked him.

  “Yes. She has just gone to see Dr Junaid.” Let’s go to the cafeteria. Be my guest,” Ali offered him.

  “You seem to be getting along well with Sara,” Javed remarked.

  Ali didn’t like anyone on the campus talking about him and Sara. But he knew Javed was good natured and didn’t talk out of malice. So he didn’t mind Javed’s remarks. “We are just friends. Sara is a nice girl.”

  “But if I’m not wrong, you are beginning to like her. Aren’t you?”

  Ali blushed and confessed. “But I’m sharing this only with you. Don’t let anyone, especially Riaz, get wind of that.”

  “Don’t worry I can keep secrets. But tell me is it a one-sided affair?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine. But I have the feeling that she is also taking interest in me. Whether that feeling is strong enough to be called love I’m not sure.”

  “Have you met outside the campus?”

  Ali thought for a while whether he should tell Javed that they both have been to each other’s home and then decided he had better not.

  “What about you? Are you interested in any girl?” Ali asked Javed.

  “If you don’t mind, I was first interested in Sara but I soon realized she wasn’t for me. Then I thought about Naila. Like us, she comes of a middle class family. Her father is a civil servant, who’ll retire in couple of years. He and my father have worked together in the same department. Neither Naila holds any attraction for me; nor do I for her. Look you mayn’t like it but I have little hesitation in admitting that I don’t want to marry a girl who shares my class. I want to marry a rich girl, who can give me wealth and luxury. I’m here, so to speak, for wife hunting as most of girl students including Naila are for husband hunting,” Javed was frank in his confession.