Shazia was from a tribal area of Pakistan. She belonged to the Pashtun family. She ran away from her husband’s home in spite of being married. She was considered a perfect dancer in the village. And Nazrana also was considered a good dancer who was her bosom friend. They both went together to each marriage function and won the heart of everyone by their dance. Shazia’s wedding was done soon and after about one year, Nazrana’s wedding was done as well. They met after their weddings and went to their relative’s wedding to dance.
Once Shazia was alone at home and received a call by telephone because at that time there was not the mobile phone and women were not allowed to lift the phone, so she was excited to get the opportunity to receive the call. She heard a man’s voice from the other side. He asked about men that weren’t at home. Shazia replied that there was not anyone else at home so he got opportunity to talk and asked her name and told her (his name was Ali) that he knows her and about her magnificent dance. She was happy to hear his praise and continued their conversation until her mother-in-law came. After that she had told her friend Nazrana about him and they both were talked with him and knew about each other. Ali was a distant relative. Once he told them that they were talented and deserved to be in Bollywood movies and he could help them reach there. They became more excited about their dance and agreed to go with him. But it could only be done by fleeing. So they intended to flee and nobody knew about this plan. After some days with their relatives, there was a marriage function and they decided to meet him and intended to go from there. In the night time, at 8pm, Ali came with a pickup vehicle which he had rented. All other people were busy in the marriage ceremony and they took the opportunity to escape with him, taking some luggage. At darkness of night, they left easily and sat in the car. They were happy and anxious as well for doing it. Ali appreciated and boosted them for this courage. They had a long journey and the time was painful for them. When anyone asked about Shazia and Nazrana, no one knew where they were.
Soon the people knew about their fleeing and their parents, siblings and husbands were going to die of embarrassment. They did not lose a moment and got out in their search. It’s a worst time for a Pashtun’s family that their daughter or any female member flees away from home and her only punishment is death. Shazia’s husband was wanted her too much and he wanted to get her home again but his family didn’t want to accept her again as a family member. Nazrana’s family refused her but for honor, they went to find her. They all were very angry and wanted to kill them. Shazia asked, “Where will we go? And when will we reach that place?” Ali replied, “We will arrive soon.” They reached Peshawar city and planned to stay for a night in a hotel and to go to Lahore the next morning. They were very happy to get their dreams because now they were almost 16 and this age is for getting dreams and goals. Due to being married, their parents had been careless about them and their husbands’ families didn’t care about them either. Their husbands used to go to the offices and came back in the evening, so they were in their thoughts and wanted to get their goals. Their families were searching for them and got the pickup’s driver who had taken them. They asked where they went. The driver was scared of them so he told the truth. When they reached Peshawar city, Ali had gone with Nazrana and Shazia from there and they could not get any evidence. They stayed on the same hotel where Shazia and Nazrana were kept for a night. They asked from everyone about them but they didn’t know about Ali yet.
Ali was asked about the village’s situation from home by phone and he knew the situation of the village. He wanted to reach to Lahore as soon as. They reached there the next night and he got them a room. After dinner and some rest, he told them “You will meet the Bollywood directors and actors and they will take you from here. If they want any demands from you accept it because you have sacrificed already”.
And he went out to meet men from a prostitution den. Yes, it was a prostitution den and he sold them there. They didn’t know about this but as soon as they met them they knew. Now they had broken their traditions and practices and wanted to go. The next night a person came to them and he pointed to Shazia and gave her clothes to wear for going with him. She wore them and went with him. The owner of the prostitution den met her and said “My guy wanted to meet you so don’t make any mistakes, and make him happy, he is a dream boy, He may be prince of dreams for you and he is my customer. So can meet him in this room”, and she pointed to a room. She was deluded. She knew, when he came to her and touched her roughly and he turned around his will. After, sometimes he went out from this room and didn’t even look back, but her husband didn’t want to go out from her room and he wanted to see her again (she went in deep thinking). She came back her room and cried with Nazrana so much. They both had accepted their mistake. Nazrana said to her that they can flee back their home but Shazia refused to do this because she had known that it’s a largest sin, whatever she had done. She said to her that she is your sin too. “Please forgive me, If I did not take you on this wrong way, then it would not have been so. I am guilty and we both are burning in this hell and our punishment will be like the woman who had fled from home and was killed her two years ago. Our punishment will be like that woman who ran away from home”.
Their relatives were investigating and searching, and asking about them from each one of the servants at the hotel. At last they knew from someone that they had gone Lahore so they chased soon and in 20 hours, they reached at Lahore and began looking them.
After 2 weeks:
At the next night, the prostitution den’s owner was making Nazrana ready for prostitution. She wanted her to go to the market to buy some clothes and other things with her pimp. Shazia wanted to go with her because she was little shy and immature. But the owner refused her. When Nazrana went to market the same time their families members were wandering there to search them. One of them doubted and told Nazrana’s brother who was younger than her. He put a chader on his shoulders (warm cloth to protect from cold). He took off it from his shoulders and ran very fast behind Nazrana and the man who had come with her. They didn’t know that someone was chasing them. He came near them and put the chader on Nazrana’s face and stared the man and said “She is my sister and where’s the Shazia? But he ran fast and straightway reached the owner and informed of the situation. They know about Pashtun’s customs and anger. She called to police and told that she had bought them from a Pashtun man that had brought them there. So she hasn’t done any violence to them and they had come from their will. Their family members were asking from Nazrana and she was in shocked to see them in extreme anger. They were asking about Shazia over and over again. Finally she told them where she was. They went there and told her to come out. The owner told them that she bought them and so they would have to pay her expenses. They agreed but the police didn’t want them to kill them and leave with their family because they knew the Pashtun’s rules and customs. The police took them to the police station and according to the law, they took the signatures for their safety and wrote that whatever bad happened to them within 10 years, they would be responsible. They were handed over to them. Their husbands refused to take them and they were handed over to their parents. So they also couldn’t kill them because the police were alert all of the time. Shazia’s husband came to meet her in the bedroom but Shazia’s family had informed her husband’s family that he comes to her to be a companion and if she becomes pregnant then he will be responsible for it. After a while, both husbands got married and busy their lives but Shazia’s brothers were still angry and wanted to kill her.
After 10 years
When Shazia was preparing lunch for the family, she put on the heater’s switch and she was shocked by electricity that her brother had prepared the wire to kill her and to restore their family’s reputation and dignity. She fell badly and was shouting from the trauma. She was burnt extremely badly and nobody came to help her. She died. Nazrana heard and came to see her with deep grief. She was very scared and her sisters explained it that they would not do the same with her. Now Shazia had reached her end by her inhuman brothers and Nazrana is living her life without a partner. She has been alone forever. She has not her dreams and goals. Everyone sees her badly.