Baarish-e-noor karde mere khuda
Hoon andhere mazaar mein tanhaShower radiance on me, my creator
I am alone in my dark tomb
“Bibi…are you listening? Finish my packing. I am leaving for Shimla tomorrow morning.”
“Allah bless you! Suddenly, Shimla? Tomorrow morning? It’s already evening, and you’re asking me to pack now?”
“If you don’t want to help, just say so. Why make excuses? I can do my own packing.”
“Why would I make excuses? If you had told me two days ago, it wouldn’t have been a problem. But you always leave things till the last minute and then get flustered. Time! When will breakfast be prepared? When will the clothes come from the dhobi?”
“Sajida, your mother doesn’t want to help me, so if it’s not too much of a problem, could you please pack my luggage?”
“Abba, travelling to Punjab these days is very dangerous. Why are you going there? If you must go, wouldn’t it be better to go somewhere else?”
“It seems like you, too, are unwilling to help me.”
“Abbaji, I will pack your luggage right away but I have to say, it’s not a good idea for you to go now. You travel so much, can’t you stay home for a few days?”
“Your Abba’s heart is...