LAGAN IN ENGLISH PART 1

                                  

 Afaq was arriving late to the office under a well-thought-out scheme, and in fact, for the past week, he had been making surprising changes to his arrival time. Sometimes he would arrive very early, and sometimes quite late, suddenly entering the office as if he had come to conduct a raid.

Everyone in the office was astonished by this behavior because they all knew that Afaq was strictly punctual. To instill this discipline in others, he would always arrive 15-20 minutes before the office opened. Sometimes he would stroll outside, and at other times, he would sit in his car reviewing important documents. Occasionally, he would arrive so early that even the office cleaning wasn’t completed, and the peons would be seen trembling while dusting. The clock’s hands could be wrong, but Afaq’s arrival time never changed. His purpose in coming early was also to observe who arrived on time and who was late. Until today, no one other than the peon responsible for opening the office had arrived before him, which was why this office was known for completing every task on time.

His office was on the second floor of "Arshi Mansion," which he had taken over five years ago. His father, Badruddin, had passed away from a heart attack when Afaq was working in America as an assistant. His father owned leather cleaning and tanning factories and exported leather and leather goods to two different countries. Afaq had a younger brother, Ishaq, and a sister, Sobiya, who were studying in America, making it essential for them to stay there. Afaq immediately returned to take charge of the business. He was a responsible and hardworking man and knew that the only way to handle the workers effectively was to ensure they worked diligently. So, he set a rule for himself: he would work hard, dedicate his time honestly, and hire staff who would adopt his principles and perform their duties with integrity.

However, one thing was consistently happening. Whether Afaq arrived late or early, whether he entered the office suddenly or rang the bell, Falak Naz had just one task. She would immediately pick up the receiver, say something, then smile softly and put it back down.

Falak Naz had only been in the office for two months, yet she had already caused a storm. The staff was helpless before her; she would say whatever she wanted to whomever she pleased. She deliberately made errors in work whenever she felt like it. She arrived at the office in such a grand car that it unnecessarily intimidated everyone. Moreover, she wore fashionable outfits every day, making the other girls look like her maids.

But what could those poor girls do? They had to manage an entire month within their limited salary, while Falak Naz was the daughter of a wealthy father. She could easily spend a thousand rupees on a single outfit. Moreover, she was naturally beautiful. She had a master's degree in business management, spoke fluent English, and could say sharp things playfully. Everyone knew she had joined the office through a significant recommendation.

Although Afaq was very strict by nature, he did not tolerate recommendations or bribery. He was hardworking and liked diligent people. He disliked gossip, jokes, or romance, which was why he carefully selected candidates during interviews. He hired only those who were truly in need and understood that their necessity for survival was far greater than any other ‘needs.’ This ensured that the office environment remained professional and disciplined.

Before her, there were three other women in the office. Falak Naz was the third and worked as a management officer. It was still unclear what specific task she was assigned, but for now, she was on a three-month internship and was supposed to work alongside a different employee each month to understand the office's purpose. Some believed she would be assigned to work with computers, while others speculated that Afaq might appoint her as his private secretary, something he strongly opposed. He believed that secretaries were nothing more than a nuisance, which is why no one sat in his office. Whenever he needed to explain something to female employees, he stepped out of his office. He thought that women were incapable of handling the complexities of business and that their intellect could not be trusted in such matters. If a woman had to work out of necessity, she should only be given tasks she was truly capable of handling.

However, the way he had hired Falak Naz without any apparent need, arranged a desk, chair, and phone for her, and considering Falak Naz’s own attitude, many suspected that one day she would be seated in the boss’s office.

“What does Falak Naz want?”

No one had figured that out yet. Every week, she would sit at a different employee’s desk, showing interest in everything except actual work. It seemed as if she had no real connection with this office. Then why had she come here?

This office was for people who needed to pull the weight of their lives forward.

One day, Afaq overheard a conversation. Falak Naz assumed he had already left the office, but he was still inside. When he picked up the phone, he heard her talking to a friend.

"Hey, Falaki! Have you managed to trap that fool yet?" her friend asked.

"Not yet, no opportunity has come up," she replied.

"Why not?"

"He’s extremely arrogant, the scoundrel, and he doesn’t even call me into his office."

"Does he even look at you?"

"Just occasionally, in passing."

"Wow! Can someone really ignore you?"

"This is outright injustice, and it’s happening in broad daylight!"

"Oh, don’t worry, don’t be disgusted. One day, he’ll fall into your trap. Has any man ever escaped from you?"

Falak Naz laughed loudly in response.

"Alright, we’ll talk tomorrow," she said.

"Okay, don’t forget. Keep me updated with daily reports."

The call ended.

"Oh, so these are her intentions," Afaq thought as he placed the receiver back down.

How could Afaq have known her plans? He had been pressured by her father, Sheikh Sadruddin, a prominent businessman in the automobile industry. He was a wealthy Pathan and had only one daughter—Falak Naz.

His wife was so modern that she still looked like Falak Naz’s elder sister. Their vacations were spent in Switzerland, and every year, they traveled to Paris and America for winter shopping, much like villagers traveling to Lahore for trade.

Falak Naz was excessively liberal, and her mother considered her freedom a natural part of youth. Hence, Sheikh Sadruddin had little say in his own house.

Afaq had gone to meet Sheikh Sadruddin for an important matter that day, also out of respect because he had been a good friend of his late father. After about fifteen minutes of conversation, as Afaq was leaving, Sheikh stepped outside with him. While they were talking near the car, Falak Naz, dressed for the club, came outside.

Before stepping out, she caught sight of Afaq.

What a stunning man! She had never seen such a handsome man before. Then he shook hands with her father, stylishly opened his car door, turned the steering wheel smoothly, and drove away at full speed.

Falak Naz, twirling her car keys, stepped outside. She had dressed spectacularly that day. If only she had come out a little earlier, he might have noticed her!

But, unfortunately, he had already left.

Smiling, she turned to her father and asked, "Who was that, Daddy?"

"That was Afaq, my friend’s son," he replied.

"What does he do? Why was he here?" she asked with great interest.

She gathered all the information she needed that night, even searching the directory for Afaq’s home and office phone numbers. But then she thought calling him outright wouldn’t be right. She was an expert at ensnaring men and knew exactly how to make them fall for her. She didn’t want to make the first move. She needed a strategy.

It took so many days just to convince Daddy. Daddy would listen to her as if it were a joke and brush it off. In the end, she had to bring Mommy to her side.

Mommy said, “What’s the harm if she works for some time? She just sits at home and gets bored. It’s better if she gets involved in some work.”

“But why does she even need a job?” Daddy kept asking repeatedly.

But till now, Daddy had never won against Mommy in an argument. How was it possible for Mommy to lose now? Not only did Daddy have to allow it, but he also had to promise that he would personally go to Afaq and recommend Falak Naz for the job, ensuring that she would be hired in his office at any cost.

However, he knew very well that his daughter was not capable of doing any work. In fact, it was quite possible that she would become a headache for Afaq.

And he told Afaq this quite openly, along with a lot more that left Afaq deeply impressed. He hadn’t expected such honesty from a father. Afaq promised him that he wouldn’t let Falak Naz create any trouble.

Sheikh Sadruddin thanked him and left.

The next day, following the proper procedure, Falak Naz had her application typed and sent to the office. A week later, she was called for an interview.

On the day of the interview, she was going to meet Afaq for the first time, so she wanted to make a special impression. She opened her wardrobe and started selecting an outfit. She thought about wearing the ruffled maxi dress that Mommy had brought from Paris last year. But then she realized that a maxi dress wouldn’t be suitable for an office setting. She could wear it later on many occasions.

A flipper suit would be fine. But she would look stunning in jeans and a blouse. Then she thought, why not wear a saree? But with a saree, she would have to tie her hair in a bun, and people often said she looked older in a saree and a bun. And she was only twenty-three years old. She needed to look innocent and simple for the interview.

Finally, she selected a delicate printed suit with a matching dupatta. She neatly braided her hair, added some artificial volume to it, and applied light makeup in a way that highlighted the attractive features of her face. With her head covered with the dupatta, she entered for the interview.

Before she arrived, Afaq had already given instructions regarding her. He had called his manager and told him to arrange a desk and chair for her and issue her an apartment leader ID.

She spent the entire day sitting at the desk, waiting to be called in, but she never was.

Then, around one o’clock, she saw Afaq leaving the office. She hurried after him and said, “Sir, I came for the interview.”

Afaq turned to look at her and said, “Did you receive your appointment letter?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then that’s it. You’ve already been selected. There’s no need for an interview. Join the office from tomorrow.”

What a boring man, she thought to herself. It was a good thing she hadn’t dressed up too much, or it would have all gone to waste.

“She seems like a sensible girl,” Afaq thought to himself. “Well, we’ll see.”

He had faced the hardships of life. His father was a very intelligent and principled man. He had risen from an ordinary background to become someone extraordinary, and he had raised his son with the same values.

He had taught him that a person creates their own destiny. One is responsible for building or ruining their own life. But when a person is riding the wild horse of youth, they must hold the reins tightly so that the horse doesn’t get out of control. That’s when the real meaning of life becomes clear, and a person leaves behind stories that never end.

Being a slave to one’s desires while living off inherited wealth is a sign of weakness. What your ancestors built with hard work should be preserved and expanded with your own effort so that future generations learn the value of hard work and honesty. Otherwise, history has always shown that inherited wealth often disappears by the third generation due to recklessness.

Afaq’s father had raised him with strict discipline. He was not a spoiled rich brat. That’s why he had grown into a strong and responsible man. He knew very well how to handle those who had gone astray. Many people had sought his help in guiding their young sons towards work. He would employ them in his office and set them on the right path.

Now, a girl had been entrusted to him. He had to see how much she was spoiled.

He didn’t assign any special tasks to Falak Naz. He wanted to observe what this rich girl was capable of. That’s why he put her on a three-month training period so that she could familiarize herself with all aspects of the office before being given any specific responsibility.

Each desk in the office had a telephone connected directly to Afaq’s phone, so he could immediately know which calls were personal and how much time was being wasted.

Falak Naz was mostly unaware of these things. That’s why she often made personal calls and wasted several minutes chatting. She received multiple calls throughout the day as well.

Afaq wasn’t particularly interested in eavesdropping on people’s private conversations, nor did he have the time. But on the first day, when he overheard some of Falak Naz’s conversations, he became curious. He wanted to know why she was there and what her intentions were.

Whenever he got the chance, he would try to listen to Falak Naz’s conversations. He observed what she talked about with boys and girls throughout the day, how she made plans to spend the evening and watch movies. The boys spoke with great emotion, and when she didn’t join their plans, they expressed their disappointment. However, she always laughed and said that she was on a special mission, so they should tolerate her absence.

But she had a special friend, Pinky, with whom she shared everything. She called her almost twice every day and told her about the daily happenings at the office.

One day, Afaq overheard her talking to her friend on the phone:

"I haven’t been able to pull off any technical work yet, Pinky. I’m getting extremely bored."

"Then take a break, girl," her friend replied. "Forget about it and find another target."

"Should I leave? No way! Have I ever accepted defeat before? Falaki is not used to hearing the word ‘no.’ It’s just a matter of getting the right opportunity. I won’t let him escape. I have vowed to trap him."

"What if he is married?"

"No, I have gathered all the information. He lives alone in Gulberg."

"Then raid his house!"

"No, that would ruin my mission."

"Then what will you do?"

"Listen, I think marriage is a useless thing, but if I have to marry him to get what I want, I will do it. And after marriage, I will make his life miserable so that he will beg for mercy!"

"Wish you great success!" her friend laughed.

"I will make him fall for me no matter what. That is my final decision."

"Alright."

"Keep me updated."

"Of course, I will."

The call ended.

The next day, Afaq called Falak Naz to his office.

She walked in confidently, swaying gracefully, full of expectations.

He observed her from head to toe and then asked her to take a seat.

She smiled charmingly and sat down elegantly.

In a polite tone, he asked her how she was doing and then said,
"You must have settled in at my office by now?"

"Yes, yes," she replied with a small laugh.

"If you ever face any problems, do let me know."

"Oh… alright, alright," she said, her heart pounding with excitement. "Sir, there’s no such issue at all. This office is so wonderful, and the work style is so practical that I have already become comfortable here."

"Hmm," Afaq responded seriously.

"You may leave now."

She stood up, startled. She looked at Afaq, but the warmth that had been on his face earlier was gone. His rough expression had returned as he focused on his documents.

Falak Naz didn’t like this change in his demeanor.

Nevertheless, she had to leave the room.

As she stepped outside, she noticed every pair of eyes looking at her questioningly. That’s when she realized that something unusual had happened today.

She sat down on her chair, feeling as if she was floating in the air. When her breathing stabilized, she dialed Pinky’s number.

"Pinky, the ice has started to melt!"

"Really? Congratulations! But how did it happen?"

"Just understand this—your Falaki’s charm is impossible to ignore."

"I believe that."

"So now the stone has started to move."

"Tell me everything quickly—what did you talk about, etc.?"

"You little devil, I can’t talk about all this over the office phone. I’ll come home in the evening and tell you everything."

Afaq had overheard the entire conversation on the phone.

From then on, he would call her to his office once a week, have a brief, casual conversation, and send her out—just to see what she would say on the phone afterward.

As soon as she stepped out, she would exaggerate and narrate everything to her friend.

Despite gathering so much information, Afaq still had no idea what she said to her friend when she picked up the receiver as soon as he entered the room. He wanted to hear it at least once.

For this task, he called his friend Farooq. The next day, Afaq took Farooq to the office. Once the office assistant finished cleaning and left, Afaq took Farooq into his room. He gave him specific instructions and explained the tape recorder, which was usually kept in his desk drawer. The plan was to record every outgoing call from the office, especially any conversation Falak Naz had.

Leaving Farooq in his office, Afaq slipped out so discreetly that even the office assistant didn’t notice. Since no one dared to enter Afaq’s office in his absence, Farooq comfortably sat there, keeping an ear on the phone.

That day, Afaq entered the office around one o’clock, just as lunchtime was approaching. As per her habit, Falak Naz picked up the receiver, said something, smiled, and put it down.

Afaq passed by her as if he hadn’t seen or noticed anything.

As soon as Afaq entered his office, Farooq stood up.

"You assigned me a really tough duty, buddy! Sitting on this chair all day has left me stiff."

"It was necessary," Afaq said as he took his seat.

"Want some tea?" He rang the bell and asked the office assistant to bring some tea.

"Did you do the job?"

"Yes, I did," Farooq replied.

"Play the tape."

"Man, she’s a sharp girl. Since morning, she has called dozens of guys, and she has received hundreds of calls. She talks very openly with every guy. She takes great pride in her beauty, and trapping new people is her favorite pastime. That’s what I’ve gathered."

"I’ve understood a lot too, but it’s not the right time to act yet."

Just then, the office assistant arrived with tea. After setting the cups on the table, he began pouring it, but Afaq gestured for him to leave and prepared the tea himself.

Farooq got up and played the tape.

Various voices echoed in the room.

Then, towards the end, an unusual phrase was heard:

"Here comes the snob!"

Hearing it, both burst into laughter.

"So, this is how she welcomes me when I enter the room?"

"Yes! The moment you walk in, she warns her friend and simply says this before hanging up."

"Well, she has given you quite a name," Farooq chuckled.

"Indeed," Afaq said, lost in deep thought.

"What are you thinking?"

"Do you know Sheikh Sadruddin?"

"Yes, he’s a good man."

"I was just thinking about him. A father’s plea often echoes in my ears."

"Yes, when children go against expectations, parents feel ashamed."

"Anyway, something needs to be done."

"What will you do?"

"Just wait and watch."

(To be continued…)