First Innings

(After posting my sentiments about second innings - previous post - I expressed the same sentiments in a small iftar party, as coincidently our host was an Ob/Gyn from Pakistan who had to give up her profession after migration and became a housewife. One mutual family friend broke down with tears in eyes and told her story. Luckily, her spouse was not present).

"Aap second innings ki baat ker rahe hain, yahan to first innings hi hamari zaat ko kha gai. Main 'imported bride' hun. Main apne shohar ki dusri biwi hun. Unhon ne yahan pehli shadi green card ke liye ki, bachhe bhi huwe aur phir talaq hui. Woh Pakistan aaye dusri shadi kerne. Hum Panjab ki aik choti si tehsil liaqatpur main rehte the. Pakistan ke south panjab main gurbaat ka aaj bhi wesa hi raaj hai. Hum das bhai bhen, 4 behnain thin. Rishta aaya to ghar walon ne jhat pat biah diya. Yahan aayi to sab kuch tha. Behtreen ghar, mahengi gaari aur har weekend pe doctors ki dawatain. Aap mujeh 'trophy wife' keh sakte hain. DawatoN main, facebook pe aur baatoN main sab kuch achha nazar aata hai - Magar band darwazoN ke peeche main 20 baras se aik ghulam ki zindagi guzar rahi hun. Main kahan, kab aur kis se baat karun gi, kese kapre pehnun gi, kis store tak jaun gi - ye sab unhoN ne decide kerna hai. Har raat mera mobile phone check hota hai. Aulad paida kerne ki ijazat nahi mili. Shohar ko meri aur mere khandan ki saari kamzorion ka ilm hai, is liye kuch keh bhi nahi sakti. - Magar ye sab kuch gawara tha - ke chalo har shadi main koi na koi baat aage peeche hoti hai. Magar main us waqt toot gai - jab mere walid beemar paRe the. Main ghar main sab se choti  beti aur walid ki jaan thi. Woh paigam bhijwate rahe ke aik dafa aa ker hamare marne se pehle surat dikha jao. Main apne shohar se Pakistan jaane ke liye haat joRti rahi magar unhon ne ijazat nahi di. Walid chale gaye phir walida bhi isi tarah guzar gain. Ab to dukh bhi nahi hota. Khushian bhi dam toR gai hain. Umar guzar gai hai. Bas kabhi dil bhar aata hai to ghar ke aangan main khari ho kar aasman ki taraf dekhti hun - to do sitare saath saath nazar aate hain - apne waldain se yun batain ker ke dil halka ker leti hun. Ab to second innings ki bhi koi aas nahi - aur aarzoo bhi nahi".