Khaani: Mera Dushman Mera Ishq

The Khan Mansion

"Sarim!",Khaani exclaimed as she sat in the car and gave a tight hug to her brother. "Tum yaha kaise?!",she asked,"Mujhe laga tum Balochistan mein hoge apna nomination paper file karne?". Handing her the bouquet Sarim said, "Haa to tumhare bina thodi jaata main. After all mere political career ka pehla election hai, thodi na tumhare bina jaunga.". Khaani took in her brother's appearance, wearing a crisp white shalwar kameez with a deep blue jacket twenty-eight year old Sarim Khan looked the quintessential Pakistani politician. "I missed you.", Khaani said pressing his hand. "I missed you, too",Sarim replied. "Ma kaisi hai?",he asked nervously. Khaani paused for a moment before saying,"Achhi hai, tumhe bohot miss karti hai. Tum December mein aane waale the New York....". "Haa woh party ka kuch last minute kaam aa gaya tha.",Sarim replied, "Sach sach batao na Khaani....kya Ma mujse naraz hai kyuki maine party join kar liya?". Khaani shook her head and said,"Aisa kuch nahi hai Sarim...Mom bas tumhare liye concerned rehti hai..aur woh justified bhi hai. Tum jaante ho na yaha ka politics kitna dangerous hai. Aaye din newspapers mein khoon-kharaba bomb blasts ki khabar aati rehti hai.". Sarim replied passionately, "Main jaanta hu..magar iss liye to hum jaise young logo ka politics mein aana zaroori hai..warna system mein tabdili kaise aayegi.". Khaani smiled at her brother. He really was a cut above the rest.

A Harvard law graduate like his parents, Sarim Khan was all set to join a top tier law firm in New York two years ago. He and Khaani had come to Islamabad to spend time with their father. There were severe floods inflected in the Balochistan province. Salman had to visit the flood-affected areas and help the local population rehabilitate. Sarim decided to accompany him. Working closely with the distressed families, witnessing their pain changed his life forever. He finally found his life's purpose and decided to stay with his father and pursue a career in politics. His family received this news with mixed emotions. His father proud and elated; his mother resigned to fate. She had sacrificed her youth and her marriage for her children's safety and well-being only for Sarim to throw himself into the very fire she had tried to protect him from. Like her mother, Khaani was unhappy with her brother's decision; unlike her, she was not going to give up easily. After Sarim's announcement, Khaani spent weeks in Khan Mansion - her least favourite place - trying to convince him to change his mind. But to no avail. Ultimately, she gave up and asked Sarim to make arrangements for her return to New York, cheerfully promising to visit him twice a year.

"Waise woh dragon lady kaisi hai?",Khaani asked casually. Sarim rolled his eyes,"Dadi bilkul theek hai...bas BP ka problem hai thoda.". "Oh, how tragic",Khaani replied insincerely. "Don't you think tumhe ab purani baton ko jaane dena chahiye? After all woh humari dadi-". Khaani cut him off, "Correction! Woh tumhari dadi hai aur Dad ki walida hai. Main bas ek unwanted guest hu jisse woh saal mein ek baar apne bete ke liye bardasht karti hai.". Sarim clicked his tongue and said,"Khaani woh badi hai humse-". "Achcha theek hai jaane do! Main bhi pata nahi kyu baat kar rahi hu unki. Yeh batao kaunsi constituency se election ladh rahe ho aur tumhare opposition mein kaun kaun hai?". Sarim replied,"Sibi, Balochistan. Abhi tak kuch confirm nahi hai but mere opposition mein most likely honge Ahmed Sheikh from People's Party, Bakhtiyar Azhar from Insaaf Party aur Mir Hadi from Pakistan Democratic Party aur baaki teen independent candidates hai.". "Pakistan Democratic Party? Matlab humari purani party?", Khaani asked. Sarim nodded and replied gravely, "Haan aur Mir Hadi Mir Shah ka beta hai - jo ek time pe humare dada ke bohot close the lekin unki death ke baad unhone Baba aur Taya ko party se nikal diya.". Khaani scowled and said, " Listen Sarim! Tum election jeeto ya na jeeto....but you have to promise me ke tum uss Mir Shah ke bete ko jeetne nahi doge!". She may not be interested in politics, but Khaani could understand how her father and taya-abbu must have felt when they were unceremoniously expelled from the very party their father and grandfather had dedicated their lives to. This also led to a chain of events which resulted in Sonya and Salman's divorce.