SANYEEN INTERNET
Chapter 7: Arezzo 1
Arezzo
Chapter six (6)
Adam has been hearing
everything, whatever Aslam Gujar said until yet because he had been thinking
about
Aslam that he is nice at
heart and he was the first person in Europe who helped them. But after hearing
his
that day's conversation, he
changed his opinion about him. He got very upset. He only heard that people do
like this but practically he
was facing this first time. He related whole story to daowd. Both of them
decided
together that they will not
stay here anymore. They consulted with Muhammad nawaz, he admonished and
appeased them that until you
find another place and work don't leave this place. They got him, understood
his
advice but now they were more
cautious and wary.
It had been one year that
they were living in Yunnan (Greece) at same flat. There was no change in their
life.
They used to hear different
news about immigration that Yunnan (Greece) will open immigration or Italy will
legalize all clandestine but
these all were rumours which were being spread by different agents. So like
that
they used to get new clients
and people who were already settled in Europe. They used to phone their
brothers
and cousins to come to Europe
by any means because immigration will be open soon. They will sort out rest
of it. All they need to do,
to come here. Agents used to spread these rumours every month.
Now Adam and daowd were well
aware of this environment of this place. Abdul hameed khagha, Muhammad
Nawaz and Hussein all of them
were well acquainted of each other's temperament. Sometime daowd and
Adam together used to make
fun of Abdul Hameed Khagha than he used to curse them. Daowd never liked it
but for Adam it wasn't big
thing. It was his philosophy that we will take offence of his curses than how
we
will enjoy ourselves. He
intentionally curse and abuse us to stop us. If we will be annoyed and cross
with him,
his purpose and aim of curses
will be fulfilled.
Daowd saved enough money on
the contrary Adam had to send money to his family regularly. His saving was
very little but he was still
happy because the environment he had left was full of suffocation. Daowd used
to
miss his family and
homesickness was concern with love and in Adam's vocabulary and dictionary
there was
no word of love. There wasn't
such word which was called affection and kindness. Daowd's life was full of
love and affection. Whenever
he used to phone his family everyone used to come close to phone and everyone
wanted to talk with him.
It was end of summer and it
was getting cold slowly. There were rumours in Yunnan (Greek) and it spread
like fire in the jungle that
Italy has opened immigration. Agents kept busy in their activities. All those
agents
were in demand that were
sending people to Italy. Aslam Gujar was sub agent too. He phoned Italy that
what
is the rate for submitting
papers. So he got the complete information. The people who came to Italy in
1990
and used to sleep at the
railway stations, some of them were now agents. The biggest agent's market was
in
Rome. Over there agents run
their business whole year.
Adam and daowd still had cold
war with Aslam Gujar but they were in such a situation that they had to speak
with Aslam gujar. They parley
with Muhammad Nawaz because they were scarred and worried about losing
money, if they will not arrive
in Italy successfully. They knew that Aslam gujar is in stronger position and
both of them were living
illegally. Muhammad Nawaz said you don't need to worry about money. You don't
need to give him money, you
can trust upon me. You can give money to me and when you will phone from
Italy that you are people
arrived there safe and sound than i will give him money. If he will try to play
any
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trick with me i will see him
after all i am fauji (army man).
Aslam gujar came to know that
these two new comers want to go to Italy. He was very happy internally that
god has created such a
situation that they are again in front of him like convicts. He smirked and
grinned at
them and that ironical smile
bruised them and cut them like razor edge. Both of them were staring at him
like
they were being copped. Aslam
broke the ice.
"Well my heartaches,
friends you are my brother. You needn't to worry. I will send you Italy but it
will cost
you some money. The rate is
1500 us dollars but you can give me 1000 dollars. Other than that house rent in
advance and food bill as well
because when you will leave the house maybe, to find new tenants it will take
couple of months. So i will
pay the rent from my own pocket. I am not rich. I am poor man like you and
these
thousand dollars. They will
not go in my pocket. Even your single penny is haram (illegal money or anything
which against religion it's
haram in Islam) for me. After all i am Muslim and i have to answer to god for
everything. Whatever i have
done and whatever i am doing. This money will go to yunnani (Greek) agent. I
will get only 100 dollars.
These are my expenses for telephoning and travelling from one place to another.
I
don't take any money which is
haram (illegal money). I will take some weeks off from my work place without
pay, that's lose as well but
i want to help needy people. So i will please my God, what else i need other
than
that".
Adam said, "But we will
not pay in advance, when we will arrive in Italy than we will pay you".
"Oh yes that's no
problem. You can give your money to whom you trust and when you will be there.
You
phone him and he will give me
the money".
Adam and daowd were preparing
their bags because they were supposed to be leaving for Italy in one week's
time. Adam and daowd decided
to tell their bosses that they are leaving for Italy. So they won't be working
for
them but Muhammad Nawaz
stopped them and said, "Don't do that. Take two days off and tell them
that you
are going to Athens for
making passports in Pakistan embassy and you have to do other things as
well".
They liked his idea because
if they will come back. They will not be out of work.
Adam related the whole story
to his boss that he needs two days off because he has to go to Athens for his
passport".
His boss, he said, "Why
don't you tell me the truth that you are going to Italy? I know Italy has open
immigration. I will say that
you should go. They tell in the news every day. Today they captured a new ship.
That much clandestine were
copped and arrested but if you are lucky than there is no problem. If you will
not
reach and you they send you
back than you can come to me because i respect hard working people. You don't
have impurities and dirtiness
which other people have and neither you have hungry eyes for sex and naked for
sex. What you think that we
Europeans are shameless, impudent and naked, not at all. I have seen Europe.
How it progressed. I have
seen its construction and building. After the second world war whole Europe was
suffering of poverty, penury,
indigence, famishes and pauper doom like India and Pakistan. We went to other
countries for the betterment
of life. What we earned there that was our foreign exchange and with that money
we built our country. You got
the independence at same time when we had but you can see the difference.
You come here for work.
Anyhow let's start work".
Adam and daowd had to go to
Athens today. Adam even hadn't have enough money but daowd paid for him
as well. Muhammad Nawaz said
this is your deposit. As soon as you will phone me i will pay this money to
Aslam Gujar.
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Aslam gujar entered,
"well young men you are ready to go. What is this, this baggage? What you
are going to
do with that. You aren't
going for picnic. You will have to leave everything here. You people used to
laugh at
us that why there is only one
tooth brush, one shaving machine and one towel in washroom. That's why,
because it's prodigality and
extravagance. You will have to throw everything here. These shoes, clothes and
other things as well. You get
yourselves ready tonight. You will have to go in one pair of trousers and shirt
and keep some warm clothes
with you like some jackets. If you feel inconvenient, you can take tooth brush
and tooth paste and razors
but i don't think so that agent will allow you to take all these things with
you. They
didn't pay any attention to
Aslam Gujar, what he was saying. Instead of tow bags they prepared one bag.
They took the train from
Salonicco and started travelling to their new destination. It has been one year
that
they were travelling like
this from one country to another. Now they were able to speak little bit
yunnani
(Greek) language. So they
were able to buy things, like food stuff at bars and shops.
Ticket checker came, punched
their tickets and went away. Adam fell in dreams. There was a time when he
used to go for debates and
discussions on Greek philosophies and now he was leaving Greece after passing
year and he was leaving the
land of his favourite philosophers. Fathers of philosophy like Plato,
Hippocrates,
Socrates and Aristotle.
When they arrived at the
railway station of Athens, it was new world. First thing they did at the
station, they
phoned concerned person the
number they had. He was waiting for their call. He said; wait for me in nearest
mc. Donald. They found mc.
Donald and gave their order and started waiting for their number because they
ordered fish fillet burgers
which aren't usually ready. So mc. Donald's worker prepare them. So costumers
have to wait so that's why
they sat in the corner. Suddenly someone announced their number. Adam went to
the counter and brought both
trays. It has been a little while that they were in mc. Donald, a guy entered
in
mc. Donald. He seems like
Pakistani. He came towards them and asked, "Pakistani"?
Both of them responded
swiftly, "yes".
That guy said, "Are you
relative of Aslam Gujar"?
They said, "Yes".
They were and aghast that
this agent was very civilise, pronouncing them with respectable pronouns. He
was
using respectable pronouns
for them (in Urdu aap is you in English but tum and tu are you as well but they
are
for frankness like in Italian
aap is lei, aap is vuoi and tum and tu is tu in Italian because Urdu is
indo-European language and
there are many similarities with Latin philologically. They offered him as well
but he refused and said,
"I don't have much time. I am waiting for you in the parking because in Athens
there
is a big problem of parking.
if i will stay longer than i will get the ticket, fine or penalty which you
have to
pay when you aren't allow to
park the car. They took the glasses of coke and French fries and bag as well
and
left mc. Donald instead of
wasting time.
He had nice land cruiser.
Daowd got impressed and said that what a cruiser but Adam wasn't. These things
never impressed him like
cars, houses, clothes. These were all external things. He always wanted to see
internal beauties and
purities not external.
They threw their bag at the
back seat and he started cruiser. He was driving cruiser in the streets and
roads of
Athens which were unknown for
them. Then he stopped land cruiser in front of very beautiful apartment.
They entered in apartment. It
was very beautiful and luxurious. Other people started coming one by one. The
person, who brought them,
came and said, "Now you take rest and wait for call when i will call you.
Get
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yourselves ready. See you
later".
Adam and daowd started
thinking. Adam said to daowd, "yar what is this life. It's Ramayana's
banwas
(banishment, exile). We are
travelling continuously".
Daowd said, "Two convict
of jangloss (a name of the novel of Shaukat Saddique. Two convict escape from
the jail and they travel from
one place to another place)".
Adam said, "Whatever we
are but we are escaping from one place to another. By the daowd this agent is
nicer
than others".
Daowd said, "You are
very right but i was thinking Adam that it's such a strange thing. If we call
them agents
its okay but if we call them
dalal (agent in Urdu). They don't like it; it's only the difference of
language.
In the evening that land
cruiser's guy came and accompanied them one by one. This time he brought them
in a
big factory which was
desolated and was being closed for quite long ago. They were being transferred
into
this desolated and abandoned
factory from that luxurious apartment. After a long and anxious wait a guy came
in a carrier van. They sat in
the van and he started the van, drove them and brought them in such an area
where there were loads of old
ships. That man shouted in a very loud voice, "Come all of you".
They came out and they were
waiting for the next order. He drove them like sheep's and brought them in a
room. They were unable to
understand what was going on. They thought this agent is Pakistani as well but
they knew it later that he is
Greek. He searched them one by one, with hand's indications and gesticulations
he
was trying to say to Adam
that leave your bag here.
Adam said to daowd, "we
have our things inside" than Adam said to the person in an interrogative
style,
"why"?
That man said in English,
"Because i said so, if you want to go to Italy than you have to follow my
instructions okay".
Daowd tried to convince Adam
and said in Urdu "just keep yourself quite, do as he says, we will see
later the
rest".
That man restarted explaining
them in his broken English, "you cannot take anything with you which has
written or printed things in
Greek language like tooth paste, tooth brushes, shaving creams, Greek currency,
bank notes and coins,
shopping bags and anything which shows that you are coming from Greece".
He
researched them for precautions
sake. He took all precautionary measures and then said to them; sit in a
container type of thing. They
were a lot. Young, old, women, kids. Everyone started entering in that
container
and afterward that container
was being attached with a big truck and as soon as they were inside, truck
started.
Inside the container they
were feeling that the truck is moving. Then they felt that truck stood still.
Everyone
was thinking that truck left
their container in a big ship. It was dark and was suffocation inside the
container
because it was hot as well.
They were travelling illegally so this only way to go from Greece to Italy.
They
weren't the first one. These
agents used to do the same way for everyone. Their ship was jerking and jolting
with sea's billows and
surges. It was too dark to see each other and they were unable to recognise
each other.
They were sitting very close,
that close that they were unable to breath. Adam and daowd were drowned in
their thought, suddenly
someone opened the shutter of their container and explained them that there is
some
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fault in the ship and it will
take couple of days to repair it but you people don't need to worry.
Now they started opening the
shutters of all the containers which were inside the ship. The ship's condition
was miserable. It should have
been stop working. Everyone was happy because they got liberty for a while.
Everyone was running and
jostling on the ship's deck because it was anchored and they didn't know where
they were. The ship's crew,
they took a small boat and went away. They were being told that they are going
to
get some technicians who will
repair the ship. Everyone have to take care of each other. We will be back as
soon as possible. Everyone
was astonished, surprised and perplexed that they are in the middle of the
ocean
and around them all they can
see is water. They hadn't have enough food and what they had was enough for
one day maybe less than that
and they didn't know exactly when their ship will be repaired and ready to
leave
and when they will arrive in
Italy.
First day passed and the crew
didn't come, respectively second day. Men were okay. They resisted but as the
time was passing the women's
and children's condition was getting worse and worse. Third day they were out
of food and water. Two kids
wept and cried bitterly for milk and died. Adam started thinking about William
Golding's novel, the Lords of
Flies, now our animal instinct will start working and it will wake up. We will
become animal. We will start
eating each other. For daowd and Adam this was unforgettable event and
incident of their life. One
can starve and bare hunger but thirst is very hard to bear. Everyone was
thinking
that ship's crew will bring
the technicians and everything will be alright but they didn't know that there
wasn't
something like that. Everyone
started praying to according to his faith. Hindus were praying to their
Bhagwan,
Sikhs were praying to their
Rab (its Arabic word which means the one who provides you food and everything)
and guru, Christians to their
god and Muslim to their Allah.
Third day passed like this,
just in hope that ship's crew will come. Now situation was like that that
everyone
was waiting for death.
Fourth day they saw that a
big ship is coming towards their ship. Everyone started waving different
things.
Some of them had
handkerchiefs, shirts whatever they had. Some of them started screaming,
shrieking
shouting and crying. In a
while that ship came closer to their ship. They were thinking that they waved a
handkerchief that's why they
came for the help but in reality they saw their ship in their radar system.
All passengers were unaware
that the ship which came for their help was from Italy or Greece. They started
transferring everyone in
their ship. It was everyone's decision that even they will deport them they
will accept
it because first priority is
life and health. Everyone loves life. During three or four hours travel the
ship crew
started giving them first
aid. Now all passengers knew that they are in Italian ship. They are Italian
marines or
marine police, who control
sea ports. They do their duty in the middle of the ocean.
In the evening their ship
arrived at some sea port. Adam read as usual. "Lecce". Everyone got
relief. As their
ship arrived at the bank of
the ocean and got anchored. Police started loading them in buses and brought
them
in the camps. Like other
passengers Adam and daowd were in severe condition. Their lips were dry and crack,
hair were greasy and sticky
and clothes were smelly and stinky like dead animal. They hadn't even imagine
and dreamt that they will be
saved and alive. None of them were able to understand police's Italian than
they
asked if someone can speak
and understand English. Adam raised his hand. Both of them were thinking that
now they will deport everyone
but they were ready for any situation or decision.
Adam and daowd got shocked
after looking at interpreter. They forgot all beautiful girls whom they met
during their journey.
From head to toe she was
Mir's ghazal (Mir Taqui Mir was one of the marvellous poet of Urdu language in
the
18th century and his ghazals
were excellent. Ghazal is like ballad in English. You praise woman beauty with
your poetry but now you can
talk about other things. Ghazal is the name of animal which is deer in English.
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Poet use deer as symbol of
woman beauty) and was like Khayyam's rubayi (Omar Khayyam was Muslim
mathematician and poet of
11th century. He wrote rubayat which were being translated by Edward Fitzgerald
and rubayat are called
quartet in English). She was very beautiful. Both of them were lost in her
beauty,
prettiness and comeliness.
She brought them in real world with a phrase.
"Good morning, my name
is Maya Scariot". And she stepped forward to shake hand with them.
"My name is Adam Khan
Chughtai".
Adam said while he was
shaking his hand with her.
Maya, "Mr. Chughtai,
tell me the whole story. Don't hide anything because it's my everyday's job. If
you will
tell me the truth than i will
be able to help you, otherwise the case will be complicated".
From turkey to Greece Adam
was very angry and annoyed with agents, so he decided that he will tell the
truth. He doesn't give a shit
what gonna happened because they have given money to agents and they left them
in the middle of the ocean.
Adam started telling the story.
"Okay i will tell you
whole story. Me and my friend daowd ansari and these people, we are coming from
Greece. In Greece we heard
that Italy has opened the immigration. So we have given one thousand us dollar
each. I mean, i am talking
about me and my friend, i don't know about others. While we were on our way to
Italy, there was some fault in
our ship, as they told us. So they left in the middle of the ocean. Then you
copped us".
Maya, "tell me the names
of the agents".
Adam, "our agent was
Aslam Gujar. I don't know about others but the people, who were supposed to
bring us
here, were Greeks. We don't
know their names".
Maya, "why you come to
these countries. There isn't anything special in Italy. You have paid one
thousand us
dollars. It's a lot".
Adam, "in fact until
now, we have spent more than that".
Maya, "and you think,
you will find money in the streets or on the trees".
Adam, "will they send us
back? We will not stay in Italy. We will go to either France or Germany".
Maya, "don't you worry
about it. They will not send you back".
Maya Scariot took their
interviews and she went away. They dissolved some tablets (which were soluble)
in
coffee and gave to everyone.
After that everyone got better. Then they started taking their finger prints.
During search, whatever they
found from their pockets, clothes and bags, was given back to them as it is,
the
way it was. They ordered them
to leave Italy in fifteen days which is called foglio di via. They have given
same foglio di via (country
leaving letter) to Adam and Daowd as well that they have to leave Italy in
fifteen
days. A blind man, what he
needs two eyes, that's what they had. They folded these foglio di via and
placed
them i their pockets and
started reading the sign boards that which way is Lecce railway station. After
seeing
sign board of railway station
they started walking towards railway station because now they were habitual of
European things a little bit.
It wasn't difficult for them. When Adam and daowd were in Pakistan they heard
only about Rome. So the money
which they had from Centro Accoglienza, with that they bought two train
tickets for Rome and started
waiting for train. Exactly after half an hour, their train came and both of
them
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ascended in train. They were
tired and they slept. Suddenly they woke up. Someone was shaking their
shoulder. He was ticket
checker. He told them this is last stop, Roma Termini. They hadn't had
anything,
baggage, nothing. They were
bare handed. They got off from the train and as they were thinking what they
should do, where they should
go. They don't have any acquaintance and they were roaming and strolling in
the verandas of roma termini
railway station. Carabinieri (Italian police) copped them. Since Italy's
immigration was open, there
was strictness at the big railway stations. Carabinieri, they were speaking
Italian
and they were responding in
English. They were unable to communicate each other because Carabinieri were
saying, "documenti,
documenti" than they brought them in their office. As they entered in
their office they
saw malik lehrasab and malik
gustasab are sitting as well. Policeman indicated them to sit down and went to
bring interpreter.
Adam related the whole story,
than interpreter said, if you would have shown these foglio di via (exile
letter)
they wouldn't have copped
you. You would have been released there. Anyway leave Italy as soon as possible
because your finger prints
has been taken so, now you can't submit documents. I don't think so that you
have
any chance to get Italian
documents now, Permesso di soggiorno (permit of stay).
Adam asked interpreter about
lehrasab and gustasab then interpreter said, "Same case like you".
They freed four of them. Adam
and daowd asked lehrasab and gustasab, "how and when you people came
here"?
They spoke together,
"Adam bao, it's a long story".
Adam asked, "Now where
will you go"?
They said, "We will go
to Arezzo. Someone has told us that there are few people from Sargodha.
(Sargodha is
the name of city and district
of Pakistan. In European countries even in Japan, United States of America,
where ever Pakistanis go for
work. They know each other city wise, area wise). We will find someone and
create some relation or
connection".
Lehrasab addressed Adam and
said, "Where you people will go"?
Adam responded, "We
don't know".
Lehrasab said, "You can
come with us. I am sure that god show us some way. He will guide us".
They gave money to Adam and
he went to get four train tickets for Arezzo. Four of them sat in Arezzo's
train
in second class compartment.
Adam read a lot about Rome but it was written in his destiny and fate something
like that he hadn't have any
chance to see Hagia Sofia in Turkey, in Greece he hadn't have any chance to see
acropolis and now in Rome he
wasn't in a condition to visit Rome's coliseum, even though it's one of the
wonder of the world. Train
parted. Adam asked Lehrasab and Gustasab, "which agent brought you
here"?
So Lehrasab started relating
the story, as he was waiting for this,
"Brothers the story
starts like this. We are coming from Athens in sheep's truck. We were twelve.
One of us
was macho man, sando but when
he felt famish, he started crying. We became sick and mal because of
sheep's. We prayed to god a
lot. Lastly our truck arrived at Vicenza. Truck driver dropped us one by one on
the highway. We were by god's
will, lucky that truck driver dropped us together. As he dropped us on
highway, both of us started
walking along high way. We didn't know where shall we go but were continuously
walking. Suddenly a police
came close to us and they copped us and after investigation they freed us.
Again
we started walking here and
there. We didn't know where we were and where we should go. They copped us
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again. This time they took us
into Vicenza centre.
As we arrived, they offered
us coffee with some tablets. Our bodies were stinky and smelly. It was really
very
bad odour. Blood was oozing
and leaking from different parts of our body. We were neither dead nor alive but
after coffee and with that
tablet we were feeling little bit better. We felt that god had given us new
life. Then
they took our interviews. I
told them the real names of agents. They took our finger prints and given us
foglio
di via (country leaving
letter) and released us. We bought tickets for Arezzo but we took the wrong
train. Last
stop was Rome, when we got
off from the train than we knew that Arezzo was on our way. While we were
thinking at roma termini,
where to go, police copped us. They started asking us in Italian and as you
know bao
Adam (bao is like Mr. in
English but its Indian word). We don't know Urdu properly. Then you came. As
they
were engage in conversation,
they didn't realise that one hour has been passed. Train stopped with jerk.
Habitually Adam tried to read
the name of railway station. He read it in English accent or-we-to (Orvieto).
After a while train started.
Train stopped at Chiusi than Cortona and lastly their destination came. Arezzo.
Adam prayed to god in his
heart and thanked him a lot that got brought them up to this place safe and
sound.
He felt that this is his
final destination. After that he will stop escaping and absconding.
There are two kinds of
agents. One is those, who won't let you know that they are agents. Even in the
end you
won't be able to understand
and other type is; they will tell you straight away that they are agent. They
will
tell you the rates as well.
How much it will cost. How much us dollars they will take to do your job. Those
agents who mention themselves
are at least better than those other kind, at least you know them. As a matter
of fact they even use word
agent for themselves. On the other hand those who hide themselves and don't let
you know. They hurt, bruise
and pier your soul, anima. They entered slowly and slowly, grasp you and play
with your feelings,
sentiments. When you know them they are cheater, fraud than it's too late and
you neither
go to this way nor go to that
way.
We use each other so badly.
Sometime it's difficult to judge between your well wisher and evil wisher
malicious malevolent.
Apparently, outwardly we feel that we are fooling them and they think that they
are
fooling us but the main
intentions are only that his or their money comes in my pocket or in our
pocket. And
he thinks my money goes to
him. It's just human instinct. I would rather say animal instinct. Everyone
tries to
pretend and convince others
that he is doing favour with him or with them but in fact he can't face the
reality
and truth.
There is a third kind of
agents as well. They don't ask you for money or anything else. They help other
people
just because of praise and
lavish, their kindness and gentleness. People say that such and such person has
done
this favour for us or that person
helped us. After hearing their praise, lavish and eulogy, they feel very happy
even though for that little
praise they can do anything for you. They have avarice, covetousness or greed
if it's
not in cash or money than
it's in praise and eulogy form.
As four of them came out from
the train at Arezzo's railway station's platform, they saw Carabinieri or maybe
police was ( they didn't know
until yet what's the difference between police's and carabinieri's uniform).
Strolling and patrolling at
the platforms. They decided they will go out one by one because their clothes
and
body condition was bizarre.
It was their personal opinion or idea if they will go out together police will
suspect and they will be
copped again. It was small railway station, they followed the arrow sign and
came out
from the station one by one
but police or Carabinieri they haven't even glance at them. Now they were
standing at the railway
station's parking. Lehro (lehrasab) went to the phone box and dialled the
number. He
didn't tell anyone that he
know someone in Arezzo who is from Sargodha. He started talking in typical
Chapter 7: Arezzo 1
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Sargodha's accent. Outside
the railway station it was like fair. At one corner some Africans were standing
in a
group, on the other side
Bengalis were standing and in a minute they recognise Pakistanis. While they
were
waiting for Lehro (Lehrasab)
a guy came towards them and said,
"Where you from
brothers"?
Adam was sick of telling and
responding of this question. Adam responded, "We are Pakistan".
That guy peevishly and
irritatingly said, "that i know you are Pakistani, what i mean to say
where you from
exactly"?
Adam got him, "well we
are from Rawalpindi".
He asked him anxiously,
"exactly from Rawalpindi or from some village".
Adam annoyingly said,
"We are from Rawalpindi Cantonment".
He was curious, so he said
enquiringly, "but you must have some village, where your grandparents
live".
Adam said in a very bad mood
and temper, "well actually our parents and we are living in Rawalpindi
since
long".
That guy inquisitively said,
"How is it possible that someone doesn't have any village".
Adam and daowd how they could
have explain to him that Adam's great grandfather escaped from Hindustan
in 1857's war of independence
which goras (English, whites) call war of mutiny or war of sapoys and daowd's
grandfather came to Pakistan
from Hindustan after the partition in 1947. Since that they were settled in
Rawalpindi. If they might
have some village than that must be in India and they weren't being told and
they
never had any curiosity to
know about it. This thing started, since they left Pakistan, everyone asked
them
where you from? What is your
village's name? While they were chatting, Lehrasab and Gustasab's relative
came and they didn't even
said khuda hafiz (May god protects you). Now Adam and Daowd were on their
own, in the mean time other
Pakistanis came towards them and one of them said, "O! Rasheed who are
they"?
"They are from Pindi
(short of Rawalpindi)".
"So they are Abbassi's
graeen (belongs to same city)".
"They are coming from
where"?
"Adam spoke swiftly,
"we are coming Yunnan (Greece)".
Rasheed, "how much you
have paid"?
Adam: "Jee one thousand
us dollars".
Rasheed, "it's okay. You
know someone in Arezzo? Who told you about Arezzo"?
Adam, "gee, there were
two guys from Sargodha with us. They have told us and brought us here".
All of a sudden they saw,
Abbassi was coming from other side. The people who live in hilly area of Pakistan
specially from Muree and up
further areas, they like speaking Urdu exactly like youngsters of Pakistan, for
Chapter 7: Arezzo 1
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them speaking English is
matter of pride, although it's just mere a language. It's praiseworthy if you
know
some language but if it
becomes inferiority complex or superiority complex than it becomes vice and
badness.
Abbassi said asalam-o-alaykum
to ever one and shake hand everybody one by one. Rasheed introduced Adam
and Daowd. Rasheed knew their
names because he interviewed them before and he told Abbassi that they are
from Rawalpindi.
Abbassi, "where you live
in pindi (Rawalpindi) because i live in pindi (Rawalpindi) as well. I live in
saddar".
Adam said, "Jee, I live
in saddar and Daowd lives in Lal kurti".
Abbassi, "in fact,
somehow i live in Italy and in Pakistan i live in pindi (Rawalpindi), saddar
but my in laws
they live in Dheri Hassan
Abad".
Rasheed, "yar friend),
arrange their lodgement".
Abbassi, "i take both of
you at my friends place. You can stay there".
Abbassi guided them up to his
friend's house. They were walking in zigzag streets. After a little walk they
were in abbassi's friend's
house.
Chapter 7: Arezzo 1
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Chapter 8: Arezzo 2
After coming in Arezzo,
Ibn-e-Insha's (Pakistan poet, satirist and bureaucrat) saying came in Adam's
mind
that Italians lives in Italy,
German lives in Germany but in Pakistan. Pathans, Baluchi, Sindhi and Punjabi
live
in Pakistan not Pakistani. If
Ibn-e-Insha would have been alive now he would have added in his book
"Urdu ki
Akhri Kitab" the last
book of Urdu that Pindiwall, Sialkoti, Sargodhian, and people from mandi (mandi
bhauddin) they live in Punjab
and in these cities Pakistanis and Punjabi, they don't live rather Cheemas,
Khagay, Tawane, Pindher,
Rannas and Maliks live. In these villages live shits, Sunnites, Whabis, and
Qadianis not Muslims.
Thousands rather millions of people lost their lives for the independence and
for the
creation of Pakistan. Islam
was the main motive and object of Pakistan. I don't when it's got divided into
Punjabi, Baluchistan, Sindhi
and Pathan. I don't know when these Muslim got divided into shits, Sunnites and
Whabis. When Pakistan got
independence, at that time there was no classification and distinction among
them
they were all same. Everyone
tried hard for the creation of Pakistan and it was a team work rather whole
nation worked for it.
Italian government announced
following terms and conditions. Who ever come up to mark was able to
summit the papers.
You must have address, which
is called domicile, that the city where you are living, where you are
submitting
papers that you live there
and an address.
You must have a proof or
evidence that you are living in Italy from last twelve months or even before.
You must have a work contract
that someone is giving you assurance of job
Or
You have a certificate from
chamber of commerce that you want to start your business or any activities like
that.
A valid passport.
Adam and daowd haven't had
anything even their passports. Both of them had phoned Pakistan for the
photocopies of their
passports via fax. Like Yunnan (Greece) a Pakistani had a public call office.
There they
received faxes of their
passports. When they consulted with other people, they suggested them that you
are
being controlled by the
police and they have taken your finger prints therefore you will have to change
your
names and date of births.
They did it because it was easy to change date of births and names on photo
copies.
If you make two or three
photo copies and then fax them no one can judge.
Next morning malik sahib
(mister) send them to prefecture with a responsible and dependable person. He
took
both of them in prefecture.
Over there, a guy was standing in uniform. His trouser was black with red
stripes
on both sides. It was exactly
like band masters in Pakistan. Band masters are those people in Pakistan who
play drums and musical
instruments for private parties and you can call them for wedding parties. Both
of
them felt abashed but Maliks
friend, who was with them said, "you don't need to worry. During
immigration's
days they are little bit
lenient and soft. They are only strict at the borders".
Both of them shown photo copies
of their passports and he has given them two tokens and their names were
written on them, which were
being changed. The guy who accompanied them, he said, "half of the job is
Chapter 8: Arezzo 2
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done. Now you go to Rome to get
your passports".
Outside the prefecture, some
agents were standing. Their job was just that, to help the people for getting
tokens and some agents had
taken extra tokens just in case. When there will be few days remaining to
submit
papers so they will sell
these tokens on fancy price, demanded price. Sad and pity thing is that until
last
moment they will try to
convince and assure you that they aren't agents rather they are doing it for
welfare
purposes. In fact in this
world every single human being does something for his own interest and always
tries
to convince and pretend that
he is helping others for humanitarian reasons and motives.
Where Adam and daowd were
staying, fifteen people were living there already. They used to bring flour bag
of twenty or thirty kilograms
and it used to finish every second or third day. They used to make thirty to
forty
chapattis (chapatti or roti
is made of flour, which knead it with water and salt after kneading you make
round
things with rolling pin and
then cook them on round iron plate.
Pairs of shoes, boots and
sandals were dispersed and scattered here and there like you are in some mosque
or
in some madrisa's (religious
school) hostel. Same was the case with clothes dirty and clean clothes were
here
and there.
Here in Italy it was worse
than turkey and Yunnan (Greece). People were coming every day from Germany,
France, England and Greece.
They were coming by dunkies (by illegal means). Bengalis, Pakistanis and
Indians who were settled in
Arezzo, they were helping each other brim fully.
Adam and daowd, they already
knew there copy or register system. It's a system which has been invented by
the people who are living in
European countries. They write down everything in it and after the completion of
month they divide it weather
its house rent, bills or eating stuff.
The day they arrived they
told Takmeel Banday that writes our names in your register. Neither Adam was
able
to understand the Italian
currency or its exchange rate nor daowd. Until yet they were calculating and
converting in us dollars.
First of all they used to calculate it in Pakistani rupees than in us dollars
than they
used to understand how to buy
things.
Not even people were selling
token of prefecture (prefettura), Pakistan embassy's token were in sale as
well.
Adam and daowd bought two
tokens and they took the first train for roma (Rome) and arrived there. It was
again the same roma termini
(Rome Termini) railway station where they were copped. Last time they didn't
even had chance to go out
from termini but this time as they stepped out of termini. It was another
world. It
was like festival or gala.
Milling crowd was outside. Indians, Bengalis, Pakistani, irani there were
people of
different countries and
nations. Italy became immigrant's paradise for a while. Adam forgot all
philosophy
what he had studied. It was
new kind of world. They asked different people and were being told that they
will
have to take bus no 910. They
came at the bus stop of bus no 910 which was in front of a very beautiful
fountain. As they got in the
bus, Adam as usual started thinking about this city. He used to read in books
and
used to see this beautiful
city in films. Bruce lee's film scene started running in front of his eyes.
This was
filmed in coliseum. In that
scene Bruce Lee defeats his opponent, antagonist. Intensely, vehemently a great
desire rose in his heart to
see coliseum but the way it raised, it's ended like that. He didn't mention to
daowd
because he knew that why he
was in Rome. It wasn't the right time and moment. Bus brought them at Piazza
Mancini after zigzag drive.
They had to change bus at Piazza Mancini. Both of them took bus no 911. They
were in the bus with other
Pakistanis. Bus started, suddenly Adam saw a girl, she was wearing shalwar
qameez ( shalwar is a baggy
trouser made of any stuff like cotton, muslin cloth or any kind of cloth and
Chapter 8: Arezzo 2
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qameez is like camicia in
Italian means long shirt up to knees). Adam and daowd though, she must be
Indian
or srilankan and they were
talking about her. She swiftly said, "I am Pakistani and our institute is
right in front
of Pakistan embassy. I am
studying there".
Adam was feeling slight and
shame, he bashfully said, "we thought you are Indian or srilankan. What
are you
studying"?
She said, "I want to
become a nun".
Daowd said astonishingly,
"nun".
Adam told him to keep quiet
and advocacy and in pleadingly way said, "Yes nun. Those Christians girls
who
endow their life for
Christianity are called nuns and those boys rather say men who endow their life
for
Christianity are called monk
or father, pries".
Daowd got little bit and
said, "O yes okay, okay i got you".
Adam addressed that lady,
"as a matter of fact, even i don't like it, when someone ask me where you
from?
But if you don't mind would
you like to tell me, where you from? You belong to which city of
Pakistan"?
Nun, "i am from Sahiwal
(the old name of Sahiwal is Montgomery)".
Adam, "my name is Adam
Khan Chughtai" and Daowd introduced himself as well, "i call myself
Daowd
Ansari and your name"?
Nun, "gee, Rita
Benjamin".
Adam, "don't you miss
your family".
Rita said, "Yes i do but
my course is nearly at last stage, soon i will go back".
Adam, "i have request,
when Pakistan's embassy come could you please tell us".
Rita, "you don't need to
worry. I am getting off there as well. I meet my brothers like you every day in
bus".
As bus entered in via
Camillucia, everyone was alert because they were being told that Pakistan's
embassy is
in this via. Rita Benjamin
mentioned them as well that they have to get off here. As bus stopped, Rita
Benjamin, Adam, daowd and
other Pakistanis they got off from bus. Rita said khuda hafiz and she entered
in
her institute and rest of
them crossed the road and entered in Pakistan embassy.
As soon as they entered, they
felt that they are in little Pakistan. There was a long queue. It seemed like
that
that they were waiting in
queue from last night. They showed their token that they have token for of
today's
date. He said token doesn't
count. It's not Pakistan embassy, its little Pakistan. The one who has contacts
he
will be considered first and
above all cunning and clever people don't need contacts. They can go inside
without any contacts. How
truthful he was. Daowd and Adam were unaware and ignorant about that. These
were winter days. One queue
was inside the veranda of embassy where embassy's worker's were sitting and
receiving the applications
for the passports. I was very easy to see inside because there were man's
stature
glasses. Adam had a quick
look, numerous people were inside, they were thinking that may or may not be
they will be able to submit
their passport's applications. In the meanwhile an agent came here as well. The
craftiness and astuteness of
agent is that he will come towards you and will start talking about different
topics
and during conversation and
parleys he will surmise, conceive and make out that what type of person you
are.
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He will deal you according to
your personality. Adam and daowd got rid of him with great difficulty and
prayed to god and stood in
queue. God has given a speciality and excellence to Pakistani nation that when
they see white skinned people
they will stand in a queue without any hesitation and creating problem. They
feel harm in it. Whether it's
the queue of for bus, Questura (police station) or prefettura (prefecture) but
as
they will enter in Pakistan
embassy they will forget all rules and laws. They will become Pakistani. Adam
was
drowned in his thought
suddenly he felt a jostle and shove and queue was broken. It happened many
times.
Whenever it happened an
embassy's official came to tell them that if you break the queue like that than
we
won't be able to help you. It
will be difficult for us to do work for you people. We are working till late,
even at
night. Go and ask Indians and
Bengalis. How difficult for them to get their own passport. So that's why i am
requesting you, kindly,
please ,make a proper queue and come inside according to your token numbers.
While
he was advising and
delivering them properly a lecture, in a blink of eye they felt a jostle. Adam
and daowd
were inside. Both of them
showed a little bit astuteness and craftiness and they crouched in a corner. As
they
entered inside, it was
incomparable and strange scene. Everyone was filling application forms. Some of
came
early in the morning. Some of
them hadn't have photocopies of their documents after having photo copies they
were again in the queue.
All of them came from
different parts of Italy. Some of them were from Milano (Milan) some from
Bolzano,
some from Napoli (Naples) and
some of them from Prato. Quite few people were from roma (Rome). It had
been evening; Adam and daowd
were still waiting for their turn. Adam and daowd were feeling exactly the
same that they were standing
in cinema's queue and they haven't got the tickets yet and half of the film has
been shown.
They were standing together.
At last Adam's turn came. He placed the photocopies of his passport. Counter
clerk parted habitually and
said, "Are you sure these photocopies are yours? You aren't Indian, aren't
you?"
Adam responded with
palpitated heart, "gee (well) not".
As he heard this he suddenly
said, "So these aren't yours".
Adam said, "No no, i
mean i am not Indian but these passport photocopies are mine".
Counter clerk was satisfied
and convinced that he is Pakistani. He took the fee and gave him receipt. There
was one week's time for
collecting the passport at receipt. Similarly daowd got the same receipt like
Adam
had. Both of them felt that
they got Italian documents. Counter clerk, who was collecting applications, he
was
scowling and glowering at everyone
and he was prating as well. None of them understood, why he was doing
this but that was his style
to judge the people whether they are Pakistani or not. Even with their yes and
no.
They were holding their
receipts and came out happily. They were lacking nicotine. They entered in
embassy's garden to have some
tea. It was another strange and bizarre thing for them. People were sitting on
wooden benches and were
eating nan chole (chapatti with yeast mostly white colour made of super fine
flour
and chole are chick peas) tea
was available as well. They ordered for tea. That gentleman or you can say tea
maker was making tea in the
same grimed kettle without washing it. They didn't know how many times he
made tea like this in that
grimy kettle. Adam, for a while felt that he is taking dodh patti (tea with lot
of milk)
at pappu's hotel (in Pakistan
the term hotel is used for restaurants as well). While they were taking tea,
people
who were sitting around them,
were asking. How did they do it? Do they ask many questions? They nodded
their head in no. Now both of
them were ready for the very special question, "where you from"? But
none of
them asked question like
this.
After taking tea, courteously
they said khuda hafiz (may god looks after you) to everyone and came out from
Pakistan embassy and started
waiting for the bus no 911 which came in while and they got in the bus.
Similarly bus came to piazza
mancini that was the last stop of bus no 911. From there they took another bus
Chapter 8: Arezzo 2
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and came to roma termini
(Rome termini railway station). They still had time because Arezzo's train was
leaving in half an hour. They
went to mc Donald for some food, after having their meal they came to the
platform where their train
for Arezzo was ready to leave. Both of them got in the train and came to
Arezzo. As
they arrived at home and
stepped in, takmeel banday, felicitated and congratulated them and said,
"thanks god
your passports applications
has been submitted otherwise embassy's clerk can refuse to accept you
application
just for a little thing. They
are king but Pakistani government has ordered them that there shouldn't be any
problem because of the
passports. They were getting passports in week's time. Now the problem was work
contract and home contract
(domicile). Takmeel banday told them before that he will take four hundred us
dollars for that because he
has to go to municipal committee office to enter their names and for that he
will be
needing revenue tickets. He
will not take even a single penny. He isn't agent and he doesn't take haram
(unlawful money). For
everyone he was like deity, very pious and virtuous man. Now the problem was
proof
that they came in Italy
nearly twelve months before the immigration. This means they were living in
Italy
from last twelve months or
more than that.
Takmeel banday had very good
relations with farmers and peasants of Arezzo's suburbs. Whenever a new
comer came he found him job
bus this time immigration was opened in winter's time and there was no work in
the fields in winter season.
They used to repair their tractors and things like these for that they never
needed
anyone. They used to do that
on their own.
Takmeel banday spoke to
Munpreet Chankarya, he was the owner of three small gold and silver factories.
They were doing little work
of gold (that was the only field where in this cold weather they were able to
get
some lavoro al nero (illegal
work) because in Arezzo there were thirty five thousand small and big factories
of
gold and silver.
Chankarya said, i won't be
able to give them good salary but i they learn saldare (welding) then i will
increase
their salary by the way my
business isn't very good in these days. As soon as i have some hope of more work,
i have your mobile number, i
will phone you.
Takmeel banday was such a
person who wanted to help every single Pakistani. He used to feel, that is his
duty, obligation and
responsibility to help everyone. Now he was worried about Adam and Daowd to
arrange
some contratto di lavoro
(work contract). He used to tell everyone that both of them don't have anyone
in
Europe, neither relative nor
acquaintance. As you know that the one who has no one in this world, he has god
to help him. As you know that
god doesn't come to this world to help everybody. He has selected different
people for different jobs. He
has selected me and appointed me for this job to help you people. That was
Banday's own philosophy.
People use to get afflicted and impressed of his philosophies and lectures.
After a
little endeavour and effort
he brought round and appeased an Italian in San Zeno (name of the industrial
zone
of Arezzo city) for contratto
di lavoro (work contract) for Adam and daowd. Takmeel banday was very happy.
He came home and related the
good news to Adam and daowd that he has arranged the work contract for them
but there are two conditions.
The factory owner said that you will have to arrange three million Italian
liras
each and the other condition
is you will have to do montare in his factory as well.
Adam and daowd asked
him,"what is montare".
Than banday responded,
"it's stringing and jointing gold and silver chains, locks, pearls etc.
Etc. You people
never even bring this thing
in your mind that i shall take that money. For me even your single penny is
haram
(unlawful, illegal money).
After all i have to go back to God. You are Muslim brothers. That money will be
yours six months official
contribution, you will go to his accountant. Everything will be in front of
you. You
will have to work because if
police will come to check you or work inspector will come to control his
factory
either you are working for
him or is it a false contract. Is he a real person or fake one because Italians
aren't
Chapter 8: Arezzo 2
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stupid, foolish or silly.
They give us permit to stay for working in Italy. It's not for that when you
get the
permit of stay and you go to
Germany or France and work there. Me, i even spend money from my own
pocket for you people. Will
you believe me that every time when i have to go to Raffaello Artigiano, i pay
for
his car's petrol? All i want
is that you people just get your papers. Your documents and become legal in
this
country because documents,
papers are divine blessing and grace of god.
Next morning they went along
with takmeel banday. At seven 'o'clock in the morning, thrice of them were in
san zeno. After one hour's
anxious wait, Raffaello Artigiano came. Four of them sat in the car and car
came to
the city centre of Arezzo and
stopped in front of a modern and newly constructed building. Takmeel banday
said to them, "you stay
in car and we will be back soon."
They kept mums and quiet and
stayed in the car. Raffaello and banday were lost somewhere in the labyrinth
of that building. After a
long gap they came and banday told them, "We have spoken with accountant.
Now
we will have to prefettura
(prefecture)".
They were scarred, what will
happen in prefettura (prefecture). When they arrived there, people were already
gathered there in large
number. It was crowded. Some people were standing with Italian business men in
prefettura (prefecture).
Raffaello Artigiano took both of them inside and filled up their work contract
and the
guy who was sitting there he
took their signatures and after that a lady who was sitting there as well, she
gave
them temporary libretto di
lavoro (book of work). This was a typed on a cheap, rough paper. As they came
out, banday congratulated
them. "Now you won't have any problem. Meet with him, Munpreet Chankarya,
my
very good friend. He is the
richest foreigner in Arezzo and she is his wife".
Both of them said,
"Namaste (salutation in Hindi)" and stood in the corner. They thought
when banday will
finish his parleys. They will
go home. They were listening to Banday and Chankarya what were saying.
Takmeel Banday said to
munpreet Chankarya, "Chankarya sahib, why you came along with bhabhi
(sister in
law, even friend's wife) in
prefettura (prefecture). You bothered her just for nothing".
Chankarya said, "Yar
(friend) you don't know the reality. On papers she is the owner of my all
factories.
According to Italian law,
owner should be here to sign contract. I am just sleeping partner".
Banday said, "that you
have very well maharaj (a style of pronouncing Sikhs in respectable manner)
because
if you will have any problem.
I pray to bhagwan (god) you may not have any problem than you wind up the
company and send her to
India. When situation is calm down you can call her back".
Chankarya asked a question to
banday, "What are you doing in prefecture (prefettura). Usually you stay
away
from all these things".
Banday said, "Jee, we
are helping god's creation. I am on malatti (sick leave) and anyway what we
will take
from this world. We will have
to go back to our final destiny, empty and bare handed. So why don't we help
afflicted and miserable
humanity. When these lads will get their documents, they will swear at me but
one
shouldn't expect reward of
virtue and piety". He touches his both ears with hands (it's a gesture in
India and
Pakistan. Touching your ears
with hands asking to god repentance, penitence and adjuration) "tauba
tauba
(repentance) i can't even
dream about haram (illegal money)".
Chankarya said, "What
are your intentions, you will submit the papers of how many people"?
Banday said, "as much as
i can".
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Banday said Namaste to
Chankarya and to his wife and took permission to leave.
He came to Adam and Daowd and
said, "Let's go home".
Raffaello Artigiano had gone
for a quite long ago. On the way to home banday said to them, "now you
arrange the money because i
have given money to Raffaello from my own pocket. I would have never asked
you for the money. I know you
don't have any job, any source of income but electricity bill, gas bill, house
rent and besides that i have
got the notice to pay my annual tax. If i will not pay that it will be doubled
next
year and then i have taken
loan from bank, I have to pay instalments every month. Television, video and
refrigerator which we use at
home, these all things i bought them on easy instalments as well. So i have to
pay
their instalments. Now you
tell me, how I can arrange money for all these expanses. My salary isn't a lot.
I
earn one and a half million
Italian liras. This remains after the deduction of contribution and insurance
only
one million Italian liras.
Now i days i am on sick leave just because of you people and i am getting 90%
of my
salary instead of 100%".
Adam and daowd didn't get
even a single word what he said.
They said, "We will
arrange money".
Banday went home. Adam and
daowd came to Pakistani's public call office (P.C.O.)
Daowd phoned Yunnan (Greece)
to Muhammad Nawaz, "the money which we have given you for the
dunkey, we want that money
back and besides that my saving which i left as a deposit. Can you send us all
that money back by western
union because agent left us in the middle of the ocean"?
Muhammad Nawaz said, "The
money you gave me for the dunkey that i had given to Aslam Gujar the very
next week. Well the deposit
and saving you left that i will send you as soon as possible".
Muhammad Nawaz sent Daowd's
saving by western union in couple of days. They were still short of money.
Adam was worried.
"What will happen
now"?
Daowd encouraged him and
said, "I try to arrange something".
He spoke to banday,
"what you think if money should be given in Pakistan to some yours
reliable person
because we are short of money,
what we have, we give you now and rest of the money, my father will give to
your reliable person".
Banday said, "That's no
problem. My father will go to your place and get it from there. You give me
your
home phone number".
Daowd got the whole situation
and said in a sharp and curt tone, "no...There is no need to go to my
home. In
Rawalpindi saddar are there
is a main post office called g.p.o. (general post office). Tell your father
come over
there. I will phone my father
and i will tell him time and date. He will bring your required money".
Daowd phoned his father,
"abba (father) thing is that that i need some money. On a certain date and
certain
time such and such person
will phone you and meet you at Rawalpindi g.p.o. (general post office). You
should
go along with someone as a
witness; at least you will have witness that you have given money".
Chapter 8: Arezzo 2
SANYEEN INTERNET
He said, "Beta (son) you
needn't to worry. I have saved even a single penny which you have sent. (Daowd
knew that he hasn't sent that
much money). If your money is useful and helpful for you than there is no harm
in that, if you will achieve
your goal and aim which you have made in your mind than what else you need.
Money you can earn whenever
you want".
At banday's house, banday
used to check and examine the files. Who is short of what? Everyone was
perplexed and shocked about
days and nights efforts of this angelic and virtuous person. Adam and daowd
knew the score and his
reality but it was such a situation, for them it was better to keep quiet.
Takmeel banday has given them
home address (domicile). There work contract was being signed. Now they
were short of proof. Banday
started searching that which is the authentic proof that will be acceptable
because
at banday's time, prefettura
(prefecture) used to accept old letters but this time it was different. They
had to
prove that they were living
in Italy from last twelve months or more than that. They didn't know even a
single
word of Italian. They were
unable to buy a cup of coffee. Their names were so different from others. There
was no such a person with
whom their names got similarity. One thing was in their favour. Questura
(police
station) of Arezzo hadn't
taken their finger prints besides that banday had solution for that. He made
false
proofs of pronto scorso di
ospidale San Donato di Arezzo (first aid department of san donato hospital of
Arezzo). Like that he
completed their Adam and daowd's files. Now only thing was remaining, their
passports
which were in Pakistan's
embassy at Rome. Banday gave their receipts to Rasheed and he brought their
passports from Rome.
Banday wasn't helping only
Adam and doawd. He was crying and howling, running hither and thither for
every single person who was
living at hid place. Adam and Daowd's files were ready. Now they were ready to
go to prefecture.
On the other hand all
Pakistanis used to meet outside the Arezzo railway station and they used to
relate their
stories and reports.
Banday used to say them every
day that he will go to prefecture tomorrow or day after tomorrow and they
didn't know why he was shilly
shallying, dilly dallying, putting lame excuses. They were sick of all this.
One
day daowd burst out,
"banday sahib (Mr.) why don't you take us to prefecture"?
Banday answered, "I am
waiting for the tight moment and by the way your turn hasn't come yet".
Banday was very mild tempered
agent. He didn't mind the way doawd spoke. He knew that if he will go to
prefecture quite often than
police and Carabinieri will look at him suspiciously. Whenever he had been to
prefecture with someone, he
showed to police that he is their interpreter and they didn't know their
language.
In a way it was the truth
because when he used to speak with them in Urdu or Punjabi, Italians were
unable to
understand and Pakistanis
were unaware of Italian whenever he used to speak Italian with Italians.
One morning Adam and Daowd
woke up early in the morning. They prayed to god and went to prefecture on
their own. Photocopies of all
the documents, photo copies of all the pages of their passports and with all
original documents they were
sitting in prefecture's hall. Hall was already full of Bengalis, Pakistanis,
Indians
and Somalians and there were
some other nationalities.
A guy came in uniform like
bandmaster's dress and he said something in Italian. Adam only understood,
primo, second. He snatched
daowd's arm and went to that person who was announcing something, "I
primo,
Chapter 8: Arezzo 2
SANYEEN INTERNET
he second". He tore
their old tokens and gave them new ones and indicated them to sit there. When
others saw
that that gentleman is
distributing tokens. They gathered around him. He had only twenty five tokens;
he
distributed those tokens and
walked away. Rest of them came back without tokens and they must have been
cursing them.
There was an electric digital
screen on the wall which was showing different massages in Italians. Suddenly
that screen showed number
one. Adam understood that now he will have to go for the papers submission. His
guess was right. The man who
has given those tokens, he came and took Adam with him.
As Adam entered in the room
he said, "Buon giorno" but he was nervous and perplexed. A lady was
sitting in
a uniform. She indicated Adam
with her hand to sit down.
Adam said,
"Grazie".
That lady took light green
paper and said,
Lady: "Nome"?
Adam, "Adam"
Lady: "cognomen"?
Adam, "Khan
Chughtai".
Then she confirmed name and
surname on Adam's passport. After checking spellings she started filling that
green paper. Then she asked
something. Adam didn't know what she was saying. He responded hastily,
"Ventimiglia" and
he mention the date of entry in Italy as well. For these things they were well
prepared by
takmeel banday. All of them
knew the questions will be in serial like this, Name, surname, boarder of
entry.
All of them whether they came
from any part of Italy or by any means, their answer was boarder of entry was
ventimiglia. Then Adam gave her
photo copies of all the papers what he had. After having a quick look she
saw the proof of pronto
scorso (first aid) and highlighted the date on it. After her complete
satisfaction she
stapled one photo on that
greenish paper and other photo at the bottom of that paper. She put sealed and
stamped on both photos. Tore
the bottom slip and gave it to Adam, Which was and is called ricevuta
(receipt).
For a while Adam felt that he
is Italian citizen. It was daowd's turn. Daowd passed all the stages nicely.
Now
both of them had receipts.
They came out from prefecture of Arezzo and many people were standing in the
verandas of prefecture. As
they saw ricevuta (receipts) in their hands they started congratulating them.
They
felt that they have done some
heroic deed. They were happy and gay. While they descending from prefecture's
steps they saw banday was
coming swiftly and hurriedly. As he came closer to them, he said,
"congratulation,
congratulation. How should i
say thank to my god. I got success. No it's god who has given me this success
not me. Now you keep your
ricevuta (receipts) in a safe place, when everyone will submit his paper than
they
will start pasting lists. I
had already decided that today i shall accompany you but anyway i had already
spoken inside that's why you
got tokens easily".
Takmeel banday's spy has
given him the whole report of their papers submission before he came to
prefecture.
Adam and daowd were thinking
that they aren't that stupid and fool the way that gentleman (takmeel banday)
thinks. Adam and daowd were
laughing inwardly.
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