Under the Radar

 Jab "under the radar" hamari medical class main hamare saath admit hua to usko dekh ker hansi nikal jaati thi. Us ka qad 4 feet 10 inch tha aur jism bilkul patla dubla. Magar jald hi college main mashoor ho gaya. Agle 5 saal woh college ka pride performer raha. Us ne running aur swimming ke saare muqabloN main har level pe college ko gold medalist rakkha. 1988 main Olympic team main select ho gaya magar aakhri moqe per kisi "fauji gernel kernel" ke bhatije ko select ker ke is ko nikal diya gaya. Is waqiye ke kuch dino baad college ke 'tuk shop' pe betha mere saath chai pi raha that. Main ne poocha:

"Yaar Khairuddin, ye tera naam - under the radar - kese paR gaya?"

Us ne bataya: "Meri umar 8/9 baras thi. Aik din ghar pe bhai ne mere chote qad aur duble jism ka bohat mazaq uRaya. Main gusse main ghar se nikal ker bhaga -poori taqat se bhaga - aur paRos gaon main chacha ke ghar paunch gaya. Chacha mujhe dekh ke hairan huwe. Kehne lage: abhi tere baap ka phone aaya tha. Keh raha tha tu ghar se bhaga hai. Magar itni jaldi kese paunch gaya? Main ne bataya: Bohat gusse se race lagaii hai. Chacha fauj main the. Unhon ne meri training shuru ker di. Unhon ne hi ye naam rakha -kiunke sab mujeh darkinar samjhte aur main race jeet leta -. Athelet basis pe cadet college main admission huwa. Qad chota reh gaya. Aage na ja sakta tha. Medical college aa gaya. Bus ye naam kuch doston ke saath saath chal paRa. Pehle chote qad pe bohat rona aata tha. Phir saari energy runner aur swimmer bunne pe laga di".

Apni khaami ko khubi main badalne ka jo rang - under the radar - ne dikhaya, us ne saari zindagi mujhe guide kiya. Ab bhi Pakistan main hai. Pediatrician hota hai. Koi bata raha tha, sadre-Pakistan ne is saal koi qaumi aezaz bhi diya hai. Us ne duniya bhar ki marathon races main doR lagaii. 

Us se aakhri mulaqat 2017 main hui thi jub New York marathon doRne aaya tha. Mujhe us ne kaha tha: "Pediatrician to log samjhte hain. Asal main coach hun. Kamzor bachhon ko seekhata hun ke - zindagi ki race main - under the radar - hona khami nahi, khasoosiat (virtue) hai. Is ka khub faida uthao. Kisi obese bachhe ko wrestling pe, kisi dil ke mareez bachhe ko shatranj pe aur kisi duble bachhe ko 100 meters pe laga deta hun".