{"id":373,"date":"2026-03-18T04:43:29","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T04:43:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vibhashah.com\/?page_id=373"},"modified":"2026-03-18T04:43:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T04:43:29","slug":"chapter-24-the-farmers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/vibhashah.com\/?page_id=373","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 24 : The Farmers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201c<\/strong>I never imagined he would betray our trust.\u201d<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

               It was still dark when Aisha heard a plane in the distance. While this had now become an everyday occurrence in her world, she was always alarmed by the roaring sounds that made her heart skip a beat. She knew they were foreign planes targeting the terrorists in the border area, but what if they ever decided to bomb close to their house?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                As she tried to get the thought out of her mind, she heard their jeep starting and glanced out the window to see Shahzad, Phil and Ismail leaving. Where could they be going so early in the morning? She said a silent prayer for them and asked Allah to keep them safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Soon, there would be the call for prayer, and Aisha decided to get up and perform the ritual cleansing of her body. She got up from her charpoy in the women\u2019s room. Since there were no guests these days, the place seemed vast and empty. It was a bit chilly, so she put on a sweater before she draped herself in a prayer hijab <\/em>that Aunty Zakiya had brought her from Riyadh and walked out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

               She saw the outline of her father standing next to a tree; she went to him, and a smile lit up his noble face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                “Ready for prayers?” he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Aisha nodded, \u201cIt\u2019s early, but I couldn\u2019t sleep.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cYes, there\u2019s so much happening…I, too, find it hard to sleep!\u201d her father replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cI pray we find Ahmad,\u201d Aisha said. \u201cI\u2019ll never ask Allah for anything else as long as I live if my little brother returns to us!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                “Aisha, I\u2019m proud of you for helping the Lashkar rescue Rebecca and bringing us closer to Ahmad. None of our tactics worked, but your patient efforts bore fruit. Now, we must make sure the fair takes place without any incident. The next few days are going to be crucial. We all have to be extra vigilant; otherwise, as Rebecca said, we\u2019ll see some trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cBab<\/em>a, this might also be our chance to rescue Ahmad, no?\u201d she asked hopefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cYes, that\u2019s our hope, but matters can get out of hand, and there will be nothing we can do. Sometimes it feels like we\u2019re gambling on things going our way,\u201d he sighed. \u201cWe must be cautious. The fair is in two days. Despite Rebecca\u2019s warnings, it\u2019s too late to call it off now; and besides, it\u2019s a perfect opportunity for the community,\u201d said the chief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Aisha knew of the pressures on her father and wished she could say something that would help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cDo you remember the woman who was with Rebecca on the day you got the note?\u201d asked Chief Naseer. \u201cI must get her to speak; she knows where the fugitives are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cHow do you plan to do that, Bab<\/em>a?\u201d Aisha asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cWe have men watching the house, but so far, they haven\u2019t been able to spot her,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cShe must visit the hospital for her chemotherapy treatment,\u201d Aisha remarked. \u201cThese appointments are booked in advance. I can find out when she\u2019s due by ringing up Dr. Zara\u2019s receptionist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cWhat a clever daughter I have,\u201d the father beamed; her green eyes and pink cheeks were so like Ahmad\u2019s. \u201cI\u2019ve been working my brains to find access to her and had spies at the hospital but never thought of that! Let\u2019s talk about a plan and check the hospital today. And don\u2019t mention our chat to anyone!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The azhan<\/em> sounded, and they went to their respective areas to pray for mercy and guidance –and Ahmad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Safia, Rebecca, and Zeina attended the early morning meeting with Aisha and her father. Safia was instructed to make the call to the doctor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cGulnoor Begum<\/em> has an appointment for chemotherapy; I don\u2019t remember if it\u2019s today or tomorrow; I\u2019ve lost the slip…\u201d before Safia could continue, the receptionist barked, \u201cToday; 1.30 p.m.; you know you can\u2019t miss the sessions! If you\u2019re late, someone else will take your place!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Safia repeated the message and said, \u201cNow what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cWe need information about the whereabouts of the group who fled the camp,\u201d the chief said. \u201cHow do we get it from her?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cGulnoor won\u2019t come alone; a man will accompany her for sure,\u201d clarified Zeina. \u201cAnd let\u2019s keep it real; even if we get her alone, the woman is never going to talk to us!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cDo you think you can get close enough to plant a bug on her,\u201d Rebecca asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cYes, that\u2019s a possibility,\u201d Zeina said. \u201cI\u2019ll go with Aisha in burkas,<\/em> and we\u2019ll do our best!\u201d      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The Chief smiled as he saw the optimistic looks on the women\u2019s faces as the morning colors of the sun spread around. He raised his hands and whispered a prayer to Allah, asking the Almighty to grant him the strength to make this part of their world better for the future of these children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               The three men had made an early start to be at the farm before Afzal Rehman and his people arrived at the venue. Phil sat in the back of Shahzad\u2019s jeep, and Ismail sat in front. Shahzad seemed to get more somber as they neared their destination, a farm built for the rehabilitation of selected convicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cThis isn\u2019t good,\u201d Shahzad declared eventually, shaking his head. \u201cIf there are elements here who are plotting against us, then they are seriously betraying the trust placed in them. Each farmer working here has given up arms in exchange for the plow; each 15-acre plot of land is home to them and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cYes, really sad that they\u2019re going against the very people who\u2019ve helped them. It makes me feel bad for them. They\u2019re ruining an opportunity given to them. How many families live in the rehabilitation center?\u201d Phil asked as Shahzad maneuvered his way over the hilly roads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cMust be at least 25 right now,\u201d Shahzad estimated. \u201cThough things are constantly changing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Phil nodded and watched the sky changing from orange to light blue. He could count 10 houses around him, and though they were rustic, they looked well built. There was a slight breeze blowing, and it felt good to mull over the events of the last few days. He heard roosters crow, heralding the new day, and hoped today would end well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Phil was so relieved to have found Rebecca, and though he could understand her reason to stay, he was worried about her leg and hoped the waiting did not damage it forever. Phil had asked her to leave while they waited, but she would not hear of it. He sighed and concentrated again on the task at hand. He could see several farmers heading off to work as the sun spread its early light across the fields; the orange glow on the green meadows made the scene in front of him look surreal, and he took out his phone to record this magical moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               Parking the jeep behind a shed, they got out of the vehicle and followed Shahzad to where a table and four chairs were set up in a space between two other sheds. There was a somewhat old awning over this area, and a huge man was sitting on one of the chairs, his buttocks hanging over the sides. He waved to Shahzad and signaled for them to come and join him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                 \u201cIsmail and Phil, meet Fiaz-ul-Muhabat. He\u2019s one of the seven council members and he oversees the farms and the farmers,\u201d added Shahzad pulling up a chair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Throughout the salaams, introductions and handshakes, the man never got off his chair. The mustache that Fiaz-ul-Muhabat sported was the biggest Phil had seen. It was curled up his ears into his large turban. Shahzad updated the man on the reason for their visit, and the frown on his giant forehead grew more profound with the information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cYes, Afzal Rehman has been seen heading towards Tariq Khan\u2019s home. I have also seen Mullah Jamali visiting Tariq Khan; I never imagined he would betray our trust. He\u2019s such a hard worker, and his farm produces the most profitable yields. We must find out what he\u2019s up to, but first, some tea.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cShouldn\u2019t we be moving closer to the meeting place?\u201d Ismail urged, clearly getting impatient with the small talk. Phil felt the same. Weren\u2019t they missing vital exchanges by sitting here? Fiaz-ul-Muhabat easily read their looks and smiled, beckoning a man who whispered something in his ear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cDon\u2019t worry. Chief Naseer has warned me, and my men are keeping an eye out for any unusual activity and will notify us when they\u2019re all assembled. It looks like they\u2019re waiting for one more person. We still have a few minutes after which we\u2019ll head towards Tariq Khan\u2019s house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cThe farmers also serve as Lashkar soldiers to protect the community that they have built,\u201d explained Shahzad as they were served tea with some fresh raisin bun. Phil had got used to the creamy sweet tea and dunked the bread in his cup. He had developed a taste for the local cuisine and was already learning how to make it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cFiaz-ul-Muhabat had been a Mujahedeen under Ahmad Shah Masood and can answer a lot of your questions about the war, past, and present. He is called the Mouth of the council for a reason. He doesn\u2019t shy away from telling people the truth and criticizing what he thinks is wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cIsn\u2019t Ahmad Shah Masood the leader who fought against the Taliban and Al Qaeda, and the Pakistan government in 2001?\u201d Ismail inquired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cAnd he was killed just two days before the attack on the twin towers in New York?\u201d asked Phil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cYes, that\u2019s the one,\u201d Fiaz-ul-Muhabat confirmed as he turned toward them after checking his phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Phil guessed he must be getting his updates and relaxed. The vast land around him had small dwellings at intervals, and he wondered which one Tariq Khan\u2019s house was. Hills surrounded the area, and the sounds of cows mooing, birds chirping and water flowing echoed around the peaceful valley. And yet, violence was being planned here in this idyllic setting by the people intent on destruction. Phil sighed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                As Fiaz stood up from his chair and stretched his back, Phil was further awed by the size of the enormous man. Well over six feet, his head almost touched the awning, and Phil could see the massive muscles where his sleeves were rolled up. For all his bulk, he carried himself with remarkable agility and grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cAhmad Shah Masood\u2019s work was left incomplete, and I\u2019m hoping to take it forward; if not in Afghanistan then in this region, as a lot of our people have moved here,\u201d he explained, looking around and indicating his surroundings with a hand that  was twice the size of Phil\u2019s. \u201cOver here, we have our school, health clinic and a grocery store selling things grown here. We\u2019re mostly self-sufficient.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cSir,\u201d said Ismail, feeling odd to call the man by his name since he must have been his father\u2019s age. He could have added Sahib<\/em>, as most people used this term to show respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cCall me Fiaz; everyone around here does,\u201d smiled Fiaz-ul-Muhabat, his warm brown eyes indicating he understood the hesitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cFiaz Sahib<\/em>, how does the system work? Do you select the people that are eligible to stay here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cWhenever the government, police, chieftains or even the people feel someone is a good fit for our community, they\u2019re asked to fill out an application, and we check them out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               Ismail nodded and was about to ask another question when he was interrupted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \u201cCome,\u201d Fiaz-ul-Muhabat instructed, deciding they should get moving. \u201cFollow me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                They followed the giant out of the shed area and could now see horses grazing in fenced fields to their right and, to the left, there were goats, cows, donkeys and chickens. There were even three camels, and the proud creatures haughtily ignored the visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cA family is given 15 acres of land to farm and rear livestock,\u201d Fiaz explained, obviously very proud of what he seemed to view as his kingdom. \u201cBut they work together in teams with the other families, which sometimes consist of four generations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               Fiaz then got into a scruffy old truck; its springs squeaking in protest as he settled behind the wheel, and the three younger men joined him. The vehicle smelled of sweat and animals, and Ismail rolled down his window for fresh air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

               They drove around with Fiaz-ul-Muhabat, who pointed out different crops to them. They saw people working, and Fiaz waved out to them. There were old hairy men and young men in jeans. The women were going about their business in the kitchen gardens and houses, tending to the children. He was not sure why, but Phil was thrilled at just being here.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

               \u201cEach family has a story,\u201d Phil imagined. \u201cWere they once with the Taliban? Did they lose family in the war? What had made them take up arms? What had stopped them? Maybe Fiaz Sahib has compiled all their stories. Maybe he\u2019ll share it with me.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cI never imagined he would betray our trust.\u201d                It was still dark when Aisha heard a plane in the distance. While this had now become an everyday occurrence in her world, she was always alarmed by the roaring sounds that made her heart skip a beat. She knew they were foreign planes targeting … Continue reading Chapter 24 : The Farmers<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-373","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vibhashah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/373","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vibhashah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vibhashah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vibhashah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vibhashah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=373"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/vibhashah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/373\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":374,"href":"https:\/\/vibhashah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/373\/revisions\/374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vibhashah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}