Tribute

She never wanted to come back from Quetta, and she was never happy in Karachi. But both her sons were working in Karachi and most of relatives moved from Quetta as well after city started to become hostile for settlers (a term in use for people residing in Quetta which are not Pushtoons or Balochs. May be useful to mention this city was chosen by British as the garrison head quarters for the troops responsible to secure borders with Afghanistan and Iran, it was a strategic location and suited for British interest.  It was due to British interest and the garrison that the city prospers and attracted people from across India to start or extend their businesses to fulfil the growing demands and keep up with the supplies required. This was the origin of a large non native population of Quetta, and contributed with skilled man power necessary to maintain an urban centre.  A good example is famous Marker family of Quetta. These people (settlers) brought education and prosperity with them; they supported the local population and contributed in emergence of an educated middle class in Balochistan, most importantly they made Balochistan their home and never looked back.  This contribution is now largely ignored by the nationalists for whatever reasons they have; history here is a victim) and continues abuse and killings made people migrate from this dear city of theirs. It is sad to see people migrating twice or thrice in a life time, there is a huge human cost in all the events in history, which is always paid by those who are never mentioned any where and forgotten.

So she was forced to move from Quetta after she retired on the reason that there was nothing left for her there. What was forgotten was that the city was not separated from her; it was where she grew up and which gave her refuge and support always whenever she needed. They were inseparable, and it was apparent from her condition when she stayed in Karachi for a while. She was as independent and self sufficient as her city was; she did not need and knew no bounds. It was natural for her to be sad while away from where she belonged. It happens when people spent all their life in one place, when the place, its weather, its atmosphere, its places, its people, its markets, its roads are the only familiarity they have, when they come into peace with the place and become one self, inseparable. It is like you can not grow a cactus in a rainy forest, mushrooms only grow where there is rain.

So was natural for her to be happy when she got a chance to go back to the city, to her independence, to herself. She was really very happy, and this time she was going there for the last time, looks like she knew that for she met every one she knew since her childhood, all her friends and well wishers, all acquaintances and everyone to whom she had to ask for forgiveness. She arranged that the mosque in her neighbourhood in carpeted, she managed her bank accounts and moved the balance in to a single one.  She visited every place in Quetta and breathed to the fullest.

Quetta was once held by Khans of Kalat, and Kalat is considered gateway to Queta and a road is constructed which joins Karachi to Quetta via Lasbela, Khuzdar, Kalat and Mastung. It is near Kalat where the accident occurred and she breathed her last. She was fast asleep when a truck overtaking hit the vehicle on her side. It is not strange that no other passenger amongst the five (including the driver  of the Toyota 2D )was hurt; she was the only one amongst the five.  She was the only one who did not want to go away from Queta.

 What is a tragedy for some, can be fun for others; some people stolen the valuables while those with whom she was travelling were busy in managing the incident, taking care of the dead body and moving her to a safe place. But what she was taking for her loved ones was safe, cloths she sewed for her grand children, shopping she did for her family, documents she collected for her daughter; everything was safe, not touched by the greedy, may be they were not able to find it.

I will remember her for her simplicity, sincerity and dedication. Life for her was not a bed of roses, not at all, but what she managed to do for others despite all the hardships and difficulties is amazing. For her, unification of family was the biggest objective, and she went out of ordinary to do everything for her family, her children, her siblings, her nephews and nieces, their children and other relatives and friends. Most valuable asset of her personality was forgiveness, which demands a person who has vision and understanding beyond ordinary, who can understand the threads in society and social implications of decisions which destroy the very fabric of relations. Patience was her virtue, which enabled her to stand against all the odds. An extra ordinary life of a very ordinary person, and that is the reason why I am writing these lines, to bring forward some good virtues of her in light.

I feel sorry that she did not give me time. And I am left without serving her, but I have with me what is the dearest and best part of her, her daughter and grand children and I endeavour to take good care of them and preserve and transfer the good deeds and habits of their grand mother to my children; God Willing!