Laiba
Laiba came out from Marriott’s swimming pole, she was wearing swimming costume. She spread her towel on one of long chairs which were placed around swimming pole and she slouched down on that chair. Here wet hair, which were in fact black but Laiba dyed them blonde, they were touching the ground, her face and other beautiful parts of body were enjoying the hot sun rays. This is called sun bath in English. It had been few moments that she lied down, her mobile phone rang. She picked up phone irksomely. Her father was on line so she had to listen. She said in very stylish way, “Yes papa”.
“Beta where are you”?
“Jee I was here for swimming but in couple of minutes I am coming home. Tell me what you wanted to say”.
“Nothing special, I just wanted to know about you, how you feel now”.
Papa I am not a baby. I am grown child. I would rather say I am adult”.
“I know that but for me you are still a little girl”.
“Papa, listen to me. I want you to meet with someone”.
“Who is this... could you please tell me”.
“He is my friend”.
“What he does”?
“He studies with me. He has same subject like me, anthropomorphism”.
“Okay you can bring him home”.
“Papa don’t you thing that if some television play is on air or some Indian film. You are inviting him in a typical way, as I am going to marry with that gentleman. He is just a friend. I will bring him home someday”.
“Okay, I am sorry. You can bring him whenever you like. All I need to know that when you bring him just tell me. As you know that I am always busy in my business stuff. Okay beta, I should go now because my mobile phone’s battery in very low”.
Like this their conversation ended.
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Laiba and Mustanir used to stay together in Mohammad Ali Jinnah University like nobody would ever be able to separate them. Above all they were the most brilliant student of the university. While they were studying anthropomorphism, they were that deeply involved in this subject that they were nearly anthropomorphist. For them it was very easy to judge people. Both of them felt that they started liking each other. Grudges, friendship, eating, drinking, criticizing, outfits, books, notes, e-mails, chatting, mobile, these all things clutched them together. It used to seem like that that even wind or air is not allowed to pass through them. Neither Laiba expressed her feelings nor did Mustanir say something about his inner feelings. Both of them were afraid that if they will name this relationship “love” than it will be very typical. As a matter of fact we give meanings to words. If we say love is hatred and hatred is love than to whom we love as I said if we consider love as hatred and hatred as love than we will be saying like to our beloved. “I hate you madly”. The sentence sense, reference and our way of saying will tell, express that we are saying something very sweet and dolce. The sound effects and the sweetness which we will feel in our mouth will be the sign of this thing that the word hatred which we have used and we count it as in bad sense when it will disguise in love’s form. We will be feeling nice after hearing this word. Until yet they didn’t find any suitable and appropriate word for their love feelings. Beside that whatever between them was something which was nice and good?
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Labia’s father Zuhab Hanjral lived most of his life in Germany. While he was working in Milan pizza in Frankfurt there he met with an Italian girl. Zuhab sahib came that closer to this girl; finally he had to marry with that girl because there was no other way. Sabrina Marini belonged to a small town of Reggio Calabria called Catanzaro Lido. She had black hair like Indian and Pakistani girls and her complexion was tan as well. It was very difficult to judge that she was from some European country.
What actually happened, Zuhab sahib used have sex with Sabrina quite often just for enjoyment sake, as Italian people are Roman Catholic and according to their religious canons, having sex before marriage is great sin. If by mistake in your youth you do some mistake like this, you must marry than. You aren’t allowed to do abortion. It’s sin as well. So Zuhab sahib had only one option that he should marry her and he did. Zuhab sahib got married with Sabrina reluctantly but later on he got advantage of this marriage. He got legal documents of Germany. God gave them a beautiful daughter. They called her Laiba. For Zuhab sahib and Sabrina, Laiba was like the key of some fortune and treasure. They worked very hard and at last they bought pizza Milan. Like this they started earning money. They made many branches of pizza Milan in different cities of Germany and the day came that they became the richest immigrant of Germany.
One day suddenly some idea came in Zuhab sahib’s mind and he started investing money in Pakistan. He got success in that as well, as they had pizza Milan’s branches all over Europe now. Money was such an ordinary thing for them. Now Zuhab sahib used to spend his time in Pakistan. He brought Laiba with him as well when she was only 15. Over here after completing her education she had to go to America. It has been five years that Laiba was living in Pakistan. Laiba was fluent in Urdu, German, Italian and English as well. Sabrina Marini was director general of pizza Milan’s all branches.
Marini belonged to such part of Italy where in seventies there was a lot of poverty. She never even dreamt about this that she will become that rich. Same was the case with Zuhab sahib. The time and money changed him entirely. He was very proud and egoist now. He forgot everything that he used to swim in small and dirty ponds of his small village which was in Punjab. Sometime he and his friends used to catch frogs from these ponds. Now he had a big house in most expensive sector of Islamabad called E-7, one can’t even imagine having such big house like him. Now he was thinking to join some political party. Now his name was Hanjral sahib not Zuhab. Laiba preferred to stay in Pakistan because the facilities which she had in Pakistan, it was difficult to have them neither in Italy nor in Germany.
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Today Mustanir and Laiba were in deep discussion. Laiba was trying to convince Mustanir that mankind created God and on the other hand Mustanir was trying to convince Laiba that God created us.
“Look, Mustanir mankind created alphabets, he joined them and like this he created God”.
“You are very right, mankind made God with alphabets but who gave him this sense to join these alphabets, who taught him”.
Mustanir, you aren’t getting. Look, the meaning of God is Khuda, Allah, Bhagwan, Dio, and Dieu. In every language with different alphabets they created their God. What I am saying, if that is right than mankind is the creator of God”.
“But this word Khuda existed before Khuda. God doesn’t need words for his existence. You can’t explain existence of God with words”.
“What you are saying, if we consider it philosophically than you are right but modern science doesn’t accept your logic”.
“You know where science fails exactly at that point the God’s existence starts”.
“I am sick of this Muslims’ philosophy that they try to convince the people about such a thing which one can’t see”.
“So it means you aren’t Muslim”.
“I didn’t say that”.
“It seems like that, anyway I really don’t care. By the way for your kind information Paul Davies and Richard Dawkins, they haven’t found lots of things, like, “chicken came first or egg”.
“The same hypocritical example”.
This hypocrite brought you very good example”.
(Mustanir used a proverb in Urdu which was very difficult to understand for Laiba) so she said, “Mustanir I didn’t get what you said”.
“It’s not your fault”.
“Okay, tell me, when you are coming to my home. I want you to meet my dad”.
“Oh no, I am not coming. I am poor man; your father will throw me out of his house”.
“You are very strange person. You live in your own world. This gonna happen, that gonna happen and you are studying anthropomorphism”.
“Okay my dear, I will come but tell me one thing. Is there any dog in your house because in every big villa there is one dog and you know I am scared of dogs”?
“Okay, I must go now”.
“Khuda Hafiz”.
“Khuda Hafiz”.
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Mustanir’s complete name was Mustanir Suri. He born and grew up in such a family where there was no place for bribery, falsehood, favours and corruption. Mustanir’s father Mustabsir Suri lived his whole life according to certain principles. Mustanir completed his education until yet because he was brilliant student and he always won scholarships for further studies. He was studious and bright and he had plans to go to America for further studies. He wanted to complete his PhD in anthropomorphism but he was still far from his destiny. He used to pay his dues to give private tuitions. Since he got admittance in Mohammad Ali Jinnah University, he used to take special care of his clothing. He used to buy good pair of jeans, coloured and floral pattern shirts from second hand clothing shops which is called landa bazaar in Pakistan. Laiba never thought of it that Mustanir wear second hand clothes (landa bazaar). She didn’t even know what this second hand clothing is (landa bazaar). Anyway Mustanir never cared about this that he wears second hand clothing. He had a genuine excuse and logic that second hand clothes aren’t free. He pays for them.
His father was professor of mathematics in a famous college of Rawalpindi but they were living very hard life because Mustabsir sahib was against giving private tuitions. He used to say that, “I teach my students honestly. I do my job very well so they don’t need private tuition”. He had his old Vespa scooter and it used to take half an hour to start. Sometime his ankle used to injured after kicking the scooter (until now most of motor bikes and scooter starts with kick they don’t have self start igniters). It happened quite often whenever he parked his scooter in college’s parking; student used to puncture his scooter’s both tyres. Mustabsir sahib used to bring his scooter from college to the main road to mend it on his own. He never cried, never changed his principles of life which he had. It happened many times. He never said even a single word. After having all these events he used to come home late and his wife used to scold him because of this. He used to counsel and advice Mustanir as well not to give private tuitions. According to his philosophy, student should study by themselves. Colleges and institutions are open only for this purpose. He didn’t know this that all teachers and professor aren’t like him. Mustabsir sahib’s life was very hard and difficult but he had such a piece of mind which others didn’t have. His conscience never blamed him or he never felt guilty conscience. He was honest and truthful person.
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Laiba’s mother was Italian and father was Pakistani. She had the best of both countries. Like you know in genetics there are dominant and recessive system. So Italian and Pakistani beauty dominated her personality. She had long black hair which she tinted blonde but now from base of her hair, original colour was coming out. So they were blonde and black at the moment. It was exactly like that when you buy babies of breaded chicken. In the beginning they look nice but when their new plumes come out, they look weird. She had light wheatish complexion. Her nose was very sharp and beautiful, as some sculptor carved it with piece of marble. She had blue eyes, medium height and stature was appropriate. Everything was perfect at it place. The best thing in her personality was her smile which made her personality magnanimous. When she used to laugh it used to seems like that that the whole universe is enchanting. Annoyingness never suited her. Laiba was twenty years old but she used to look very younger than her age like people always estimated her age sixteen or seventeen. She had two hobbies, swimming and skiing. For skiing there were only two resorts in Pakistan. One was little far from Gilgit, called Naltar skiing resort and other was in Malam Jabba in swat so she prefer to enjoy swimming, which was easily available. Anyway soon she was going to America, in America there were many skiing resorts. Many modelling companies offered Laiba for modelling not even in Germany and Italy, in Pakistan as well but she always refused them.
Since Laiba came to Pakistan, many guys approach her but none of them impressed her. It’s quite rare that you find many qualities in one person especially in girl like intelligent, smart, beautiful and soft spoken. You can’t find these things together. Laiba was beautiful, smart, sensible and very intelligent. Anthropomorphism was her favourite subject but she had great interest in anthropology as well.
The only person who left good impression upon Laiba in Pakistan during her stay was Mustanir. He was the only person who never got impressed of someone wealth, dress or these luxurious things. He was the one and the only person in the university whose wisdom and knowledge amazed her. Although she wasn’t one of them who accept defeat easily.
Mustanir was physically very strange. He was enough tall and in Urdu it’s called lamdheing which tall in a strange way. You can say weird. He wasn’t bad looking. He used to grow his hair long and beard as well. He used to shave his beard but for hair cut he didn’t ever found time. The only person in university with whom he had good understanding was Ahmad Hassan Dani. In front of Dani sahib Mustanir never said anything although he never allowed anyone to speak in front of him. The other person who impressed him was Laiba. The reason was that Laiba was bold, blunt and beautiful. University’s all boys senior, junior even professors used to invent excuses to be close with her. Everyone tried to flirt with her but she used to respond very badly one couldn’t even dare to do second attempt but she used to look for Mustanir all the time.
Laiba was in love with Mustanir but she never mentioned it to him. It wasn’t that she was coward or she didn’t have much courage to say this. In fact she was unable to decide that what she was feeling about Mustanir, was it infatuation, love or adoration. On the other hand Mustanir had same feeling about Laiba. Their mental level was very high so they weren’t willing to say each other in a stupid way that, “I love you”. It has been long that they had this kind of feeling about each other but they were unable to give this relationship some name in words.
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“So you are Mustanir”, Zuhab Hanjral said in ironic and arrogant way.
Mustanir’s wasn’t ready for this phrase so he controlled himself and said, “Yes I am the one who is called Mustanir Suri”.
While they were talking Laiba said in way that some bomb exploded somewhere, “Papa I want to marry this gentleman and I think he wants to marry me as well”.
She addressed Mustanir and said, “What you think Mustanir”.
“I think there is no harm in it, but I would like to do this in a proper way. I will bring my parents than they will discuss”, Mustanir responded humbly.
Zuhab sahib felt that some scorpion bitted him off. As his daughter was born in Europe, she grew up there so he controlled his temperament and said in a very decent way, “Okay you can bring you parents whenever you want my son”.
“Papa there is no need of this. It’s me who wants to marry and him as well. By the way I am over eighteen. I don’t need no one’s permission. I was just telling you”.
“I know my love that you are old enough but for everything there are certain rules and regulations. We have our norms and traditions which we have to follow. You shouldn’t forget your roots”.
Mustanir added his opinion and said, “Laiba your father is right”.
“Mustanir you never had that much courage to bring your parents to talk about this. So today I had to say this. I took this bold step”.
“I knew about this but I thought it might be my illusion”.
“Same was the case with me”.
Zuhab sahib wanted to change the topic so he said, “My son what are your plans after completing masters”.
“I have decided to do PhD, if I will get scholarship”.
“Otherwise”.
“Otherwise I will do some research work and maybe I will find some job”.
“It’s my opinion that Laiba should complete her PhD. Then we will take some final decision.
She is going to America”.
“Okay uncle she will go to America and if I won’t arrive home on time my mother will never forgive and exonerate me. So kindly give me permission to go”.
He shook his hand with Zuhab sahib and Laiba came up to the main gate to say good bye to him. Labia’s home was very beautiful but Mustanir’s philosophy was that homes are beautiful because of people who live in them so the buildings made of stones, wood and concrete aren’t beautiful. It doesn’t matter Labia’s father was millionaire and she was living in luxurious and expansive villa. In fact he was in love with her not with her wealth.
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Zuhab sahib recently started political carrier so he didn’t want to do some mistake with which his political carrier which wasn’t started properly could have been ended otherwise for him it was very easy to remove this hurdle from Labia’s life. He knew this as well that this is their infatuation or lust which has youngsters quite often at this age. For him this matter was a bit difficult because Mustanir wasn’t impressed at all of his wealth and pomp. He didn’t show any interest in his expansive villa. He was for sure that he can’t bribe Mustanir or buy him with money, he wasn’t for sale. Like this he would have remove this thorn from his daughter’s life. Even he wasn’t in a position to stop his daughter to do this.
There was only one way to solve this situation was that that he should surrender himself in front of his daughter and start his political carrier. Politics is such an addiction that surrendering in front of daughter’s love is small things sometime they by themselves kidnapped their own daughter and they accept have her raped just to get public attraction. Now Zuhab sahib decided to give their love story a legal form and he wanted to set an example for the public that he isn’t racist and discriminate among class system. Mustanir wasn’t financially strong but he was rich in wisdom and knowledge. He thought that it’s quite possible that in near future he could be helpful for him for his political carrier. Zuhab sahib invented many excuses to convince himself.
For Mustabsir and his family this news was like atomic bomb that their son wants to marry someone and he is going to marry with such a girl whose father is business tycoon.
“My son this kind of marriage doesn’t have good ending”.
“Abba now time has been changed”.
“Beta I know that you are educated person. You know very well what is wrong and right for you. But life isn’t mathematics or anthropomorphism which you study in books. It’s entirely different. I don’t mind you want to marry and I am not against your marriage either. What I am trying to tell you that if we will see you living a miserable life we won’t be sleeping on the bed of roses. I tell you in plain and simple words that this marriage isn’t compatible. You are marrying her for money aren’t you, if I am not wrong”.
“Abba I am not greedy. If I had plans to make money there are so many other ways. By the way if money could bring happiness in your life than all rich and wealthy people would have been living happy and peaceful life. The only reason is, I like Laiba that she doesn’t have anything like this in her personality”.
“Beta, will you continue your studies or you will leave your degree in the middle as well”.
“Abba we aren’t like Laila Majno (a love story, Majno in Arabic is mad he was Laila’s lover and his real name was Qais). After completing our studies than we will take final decision”.
“Beta I want you to complete your Doctorate. I think there are few people who have done Doctorate in Anthropomorphism. I will be happy if you go for advance studies and it’s quite possible you will get some job in Muhammad Ali Jinnah University”.
“Abba I have the same plans. Let’s see what Khuda (Khuda in Persian language is for God) has decided for me”.
“Beta I have told many times that Khuda is Persian word so you should always say if Allah wanted or if Allah liked for me”.
“Okay Abba, Khuda I mean Allah doesn’t care about these obligations”.
“Okay beta I don’t want to start new discussion with you. I must go; I have to do many things. Allah hafiz”.
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Laiba stopped her car at the corner of the street and said, “Mustanir if we keep these streets neat and clean. I will be feeling that I am roaming in the streets of some small town of Reggio Calabria”.
Mustanir’s said astonishingly, “So the streets of Arya Mohallah (alley) are like the streets of Italy. It’s honourable thing for us”.
Laiba got Mustanir’s irony and astonishment and said, “I was dam sure that you will said something ironic about my comparison”.
Mustanir’s didn’t want to upset her so he said, “I was just”.
“Okay what you just”.
Laiba didn’t complete her phrase and their dispute ended. They started walking towards Mustanir’s house. While Laiba was walking she was observing streets which were around her. Some car were parked, some water buffalos were eating fodder.
Mustanir opened the door. Even though their house was old but very clean. Mustanir’s mother was an old fashioned lady but she welcomed Laiba whole heartedly. There wasn’t such a beautiful girl neither in Mustanir’s maternal family nor in paternal family. She was looking at her in her imagination as a daughter in law. All of a sudden they heard a voice that someone is parking and switching off his Vespa scooter. Mustabsir sahib entered in the house. Laiba bowed her head and said “Aslam-O-Alayum”.
He said, “May you live long my daughter, what you think about over Mohallah”?
“It very beautiful”, she responded politely.
“My dear wife, make something to eat. So beta you are studying Anthropomorphism”.
“Yes uncle”.
“Oh my dear don’t call me uncle. I feel that I am old”.
“Okay I call you sir”.
“Don’t call me sir because after hearing this word I feel that we are still slave. Its better you call me uncle. Anyway beta, tell me about yourself. You are living in Islamabad since your birth or you are migrated from some other place”.
“Uncle I think Mustanir didn’t tell anything as he has this bad habit because he thinks that these things aren’t very important”.
“Beta to be very honest with you, these things aren’t important for me as well but as you came to our home first time so I was just giving company”.
“Uncle my father is from Punjab, my mother is Italian and I was born in Germany”.
“Beta you speak Urdu very well”.
“Abba she can speak German, Italian and English as well fluently”.
Laiba liked tea’s serving style of Mustanir’s mother. In the middle of veranda there was very beautiful wooden table and it was covered with beautifully embroidered cotton table cloth with coloured cotton threads. She brought tea cups in an antique bronze tray which had beautiful floral decorative carving. She placed things one by one like pakoray, smosay, shami kebab, chutney, after seeing all these things Laiba’s mouth filled with water. Inwardly she felt a lot of pride for this respect which they gave her like VIP. Until yet she lived like A class life. The home which is called home is not made of wood and stone, it’s made of people who live in that, she was seeing home that kind of home first time in her life which one can imagine. She didn’t know the inner feelings of Mustanir’s mother what she was thinking about her.
As she was busy in observing their home, Mustanir’s mother broke ice and said, “Beta you didn’t bring your mother with you”.
“Jee, she doesn’t live here”.
“Then where she lives”?
“Jee, in Germany”.
Mustanir tried to clear her situation and said, “Ma, her mother take care of their business in Germany and father, he lives here”.
Mustanir’s mother didn’t get what he said. As she would have asked him some other question, Laiba took permission. Everyone forced her to stay a little more but she didn’t accept it.
“Okay uncle and aunty, kindly give me permission to go. It was such a pleasure to see you people. I should go now”.
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Mustanir didn’t get acceptance letter for his scholarship and Laiba went to America for PhD. She forced a lot Mustanir he should come with her, she will pay his dues as well. Even though Hanjral sahib forced him more than Laiba but he didn’t accept their proposal. He was from middle class but he had a lot of respect for himself. If Mustabsir sahib would have used his contact, it could have been possible that he has had scholarship but his father wasn’t one of them who use their contacts for their own interests. For him merit was and is everything. So Mustanir decided to join M. Phil’s classes in Pakistan. On the other hand he said good bye to Laiba warm heartedly and with a lot of good wishes but inwardly he was very sad.
They used to e-mail each other every day, used to chat on messenger, used to write letters, talk on telephone for hours. They had millions of things to discuss. With the passage of time their e-mails reduced, now Laiba used to be on line rarely. She started writing fewer letters. Due to this Mustanir didn’t concentrate upon his Mphil but finally in three years time he completed his Mphil. University offered him job which he accepted happily. Suddenly he heard news that Laiba is coming back. He was very happy inwardly but he was thinking why he got annoyed with Laiba he knew that
,تعلق اس طرح سے توڑا نہیں کرتے
کہ پھر سے جوڑنا دشوار ہوجائے
(You shouldn’t break relationship in such a way, if you want patch up with person than its difficult to do it)
In fact there wasn’t anything special among them. In fact Laiba stopped responding his e mails. So Mustanir got aggravated. He wasn’t one of them like
قطع نہ کیجئے تعلق ہم سے
کچھ نہیں تو عداوت ہی سہی
مرزا غالب
(Don’t break relation with me, if there isn’t anything among us than be angry with me)
He didn’t want to degrade himself. He didn’t want to hurt his prestige and reputation. He showed attitude as she showed to him, even though he didn’t go to airport to receive her. At last he convinced himself and phoned her. He spoke frankly with Mustanir like nothing happened among them. After having little talk with Mustanir she was in university next day. Now Mustanir wasn’t student he was professor. He got shocked after seeing Laiba. She wasn’t the same Laiba as she was before. She was like withered flower. She was very weak. At first sight he didn’t recognize her but later on he identify her because of her voice.
He gave her a depressing look and said, “What is this Laiba”.
“I couldn’t bare loneliness, I missed you a lot that’s why I am like this”.
“How was American journey”?
“Wasn’t bad at all, but soon I will be leaving for Germany. I have little time, rest of my life, I will pass in Germany”.
“What do you mean”?
“I have blood cancer”.
“Laiba you are very cheap and mean, you didn’t tell me, you thought that I am in love with you because of your beauty or wealth”.
“I wish if you could have been like this but the tragedy is this you aren’t such kind of person”.
“There is cure for this. I mean in America or in Germany”.
“If there could have some cure than my father wouldn’t have been that much sad. By the way I am going to Germany in few days. My father will accompany me”.
“Then why you came to Pakistan, you should have gone to Germany from America”.
“Some special force brought me here; I think I wanted to see you before I die”.
“So genetically you are still Asian”.
“If not completely, biologically, I am half Asian”.
“I wish Laiba, if I could have gone to America with you. It’s quite possible that couldn’t have this blood cancer. I am so stupid that I became slave of my morality and ethics”.
“Mustanir, what is written in our destiny it’s going to be happened? You tell me about yourself. How is your professorship”?
“For the time being I am lecturer”.
“You still have this habit of interrupting in the middle”.
“And you still speak wrong Urdu”.
After this dialogue both of them started crying.
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Zuhab Hanjral and Laiba both of them were waiting for their flight at Islamabad airport. Hanjral sahib took out his passport many times and look at it. He might be thinking that this burgundy passport gave him such sadness that he is going to Europe to bury his loving daughter because her mother lives in Germany.
As Hanjral sahib sat in aeroplane, he felt that he is leaving his homeland first time in his life. He was in such a condition, he was neither alive nor dead. He was looking at his daughter. Now Laiba started losing her beautiful hair. If one has a close look she was partially bald.
As they arrived at Frankfurt airport, the airport management arranged everything for her; from airport they took her to hospital and admitted her.
Now Sabrina and Zuhab used to pass their maximum time with her. Days were passing very fast. She was moving towards her death. Sabrina and Zuhab sahib made that much money that it was enough for their seven generations but with that money they were unable to save their daughter’s life. Labia’s condition was becoming worse and worse day by day.
Hanjral sahib became very humble and down to earth as he was very proud and never looked down. He never helped anyone; he always used people for his own purpose. He used to suck worker’s blood and he used to treat them very bad but now he used to look at his credit cards and European Union passport and things like these, Oh, alas what I have done. As days were passing Hanjral sahib’s condition was getting worse. When few days left he started hitting walls with his head, on the other hand Sabrina controlled herself. Mentally she was very busy. Even in hospital she was on line to control her business via internet and mobile phone.
When last day came, Hanjral sahib burned his passport and credit cards and started babbling and left the hospital. Zuhab sahib became mentally ill and Sabrina Marini started living with new partner of pizza Milan.
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