𝓙𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓸𝓯 𝓛𝓲𝓯𝓮; 𝓟𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼: 𝓝𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓪𝓶 𝓜𝓪𝓱𝓪𝓳𝓪𝓷 𝓢𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓱

𝓙𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓸𝓯 𝓛𝓲𝓯𝓮; 𝓟𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼: 𝓝𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓪𝓶 𝓜𝓪𝓱𝓪𝓳𝓪𝓷 𝓢𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓱 

𝗨𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆; 𝗮 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀. 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲'𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁! 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆. 

𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗷𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗻, 𝗥𝗲𝗵𝗺𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗵 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶 𝗺𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲! 

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝘁 ( 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝟰 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆)

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱!

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 

𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗷𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵

𝗨𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆; 𝗮 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀. 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲'𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁! 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆. 

𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗷𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗻, 𝗥𝗲𝗵𝗺𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗵 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶 𝗺𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲! 

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝘁 ( 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝟰 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆)

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱!

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 

𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗷𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴 

𝓙𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓸𝓯 𝓛𝓲𝓯𝓮; 𝓟𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼: 

𝓝𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓪𝓶 𝓜𝓪𝓱𝓪𝓳𝓪𝓷 𝓢𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓱 

#neelam_mahajan_singh #Neelam_Mahajan_Singh 

☆ It was early 90s. I was entrenched in media, as Senior Doordarshan News Correspondent. I met Khurshid Khan in Lucknow. He was based in Sharjah. He befriended me with his suave and stylish life style. I met Moin Qureshi (now much in news due to Hawala, meat exports and his links with several CBI Directors, Ranjeet Sinha, Rakesh Asthana and Alok Verma had to resign !) at his house in Rampur, U.P. 

I was young and quite naive to understand Martin Scorsese's 'Castello's wheel within wheel cobweb' of murky buisiness. 

Moin Qureshi and his wife Nasreen were great hosts in Rampur. Moin Qureshi is from St. Stephen's College. Nasreen was from Pakistan, who was later granted long term Visa by Vinay Jha, IAS, JS, MHA. I later came to know that Khurshid is involved in meat buisiness at a global level, like Moin Qureshi. Khurshid Khan became business partners with Moin. Khurshid lives in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. 

I got a call from Nasreen to say that they were in Delhi and hosting a party at 'Ghongroo' in Mauraya Sheraton, which was a wow fantastic discotheque of the day. They had booked the roof top, 'Bali Hi' restaurant. Gautam Anand, my classmate in History Hons. St. Stephen's College, a great human being, was General Manager of Mauraya Sheraton. He rose to become President of the Hotel Division of ITC Mauraya. 

Ghungroo had a spelling ambience. I met Moin, Nasreen, many friends and 'Rehmat Shah Afridi' at Ghungroo. I parked my self and ordered a Pinna Colada for myself. Rehmat Shah Afridi sat next to me, along with the hosts. 

Rehmat Shah Afridi was owner and Editor-in-Chief of 'The Frontier Post'. He had come to Delhi to interview PM Rajiv Gandhi and other personalities. He was conversing in Urdu, soft spoken and a damn good looking guy ! 

I also shook a leg and jived a bit with friends ! 

When I got back to my table, I saw my drink, snacks and salads, on the table. Rehmat Shah Afridi told me, "Yeh sab aapkey liye hai..." ! I was surprised at his affection for me. Then he said, "Please don't go anywhere, just sit with me and we will chat"(aap merey paas baithiye aur kahin nahi jaiyega, hum kuch guftgoo karengey). I was very attracted to Rehmat Shah Afridi, due to his courteous and caring attitude towards me. Nasreen told me, "Rehmat aapko bahut pasand kar rahey hain" ! I smiled. It was true ofcourse !

It was a blast of a party ! People were really enjoying. 'Bali Hi' was resonating. Rehmat Shah Afridi was the only guy who was wearing a Kurta-salwar-Peshawari chappals ! He was so unimpressed, disinterested and uninvolved in the surroundings. He was really so different !

He requested me to come with him at 'Bali Hi', where some sanity prevailed. "Aap bahut hi haseen aur دماغی 'zainy' hain". I knew he was fond of me and I too liked him. I didn't know a bit about his political and media power till he had gone back. 

Rehmat Shah Afridi told me not to speak with him in English, but only in Urdu. On my first meeting with him, he proposed to marry him. I wasn't really surprised at that ! I just let things be ...

Rehmat Shah Afridi escorted me till my car. Moin said, "You hijacked Rehmat Bhai, Neelam ..."! Ah well, who hijacked whom ?

The next day I met Rehmat Shah Afridi for lunch. He was leaving by the evening flight to London. He asked me if I had given a thought to his proposal ? He was already married. I told him that I really liked him, but can't stay in Pakistan. Had I accepted his proposal ? I really don't know ?

Rehmat Shah Afridi told me, "You please live in London or Paris, where ever you wish, I'll handle everything for you" ! 

I was in tears, 'coz I didn't agree to his proposal. Yet I liked him ! 

Rehmat Saheb didn't get an answer from me. He gave me a warm hug and bid me bye. He was a delightful human being. 

It's after many weeks I came to know that Rehmat Saheb was a king maker and a media baron of Pakistan. It was India - Pak discord that I couldn't find a reply. 

Rehmat Shah Afridi was close to PM Benazir Bhutto and several other political leaders. He was considered to be a "big ammunition and drug lord from Quetta". Well such a suave guy, is into all these cartels ?

Occasionally Rehmat Saheb talked to me on phone from Europe. I had gone to London to drop, Yuvraj Siddhartha Singh to Cardiff University for higher studies. 

I went to Paris for a few days. British Airways flight was a Concord. When I was moving out from Charles De' Gaul Airport, I saw some commandoes escorting a guy ! Who's that ? Guess what ? It was Rehmat Shah Afridi, so cool and easy in same attire. I looked at him, and thought "let him go" ! He recognized me and so did I (after two decades) ! He came upto me and said, "Neelam it's 'Zahe Naseeb' to see you," I said, "Salaam waley kum, Rehmat Saheb aap kaisey hain", with a Namskaram. He came upto me and hugged me so warmly ! He asked me if I had forgotten him ? I never answered his first question and didn't answer now too !

Rehmat Shah Afridi went away and I boarded back for Delhi. My mind spinned and swirled. 

Of course huge political developments took place in Pakistan. PM Nawaz Sharif's Government entrapped him in a drug haul case. He was arrested and given death sentence, which High Court, converted into life imprisonment. He has got a parole.

While Moin Qureshi, Nasreen and Khurshid Khan, made huge money, I had moved away from all of them, almost immediately. 

Rehmat Shah Afridi is still thinking and planning to revive Frontier Post brought out from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He had empowered several noted journalists through The Frontier Post. 

In an interview with BBC - Urdu, the owner of Frontier Post, who lives in Lahore gave an account of how he started the paper, how he suffered losses and served time in prison. Afridi also talked about his days in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion. 

“Rehmat Shah Afridi is reviewing his successes and failures in Lahore,” says the article - cum - interview by Haroon Rashid. 

Amnesty International believes that on the basis of available evidence, Rehmat Shah Afridi may be a 'prisoner of his conscience' and "the charges against him are politically motivated. He was sentenced to death on drug trafficking charges following the publication in 'Maidan' of reports of corruption of government ministers' alleged links between the Anti - Narcotics Force [ANF], military intelligence and the ANF, drug smugglers. Amnesty International understands that the prosecution did not produce compelling evidence to prove the charges against Rehmat Shah Afridi and that he was sentenced to death in June 2001, following an unfair trail".

Thirty years down the memory lane...

I still feel his warm, passionate hug. His eyes conveyed a million words. It's only the feelings that are alive, not material illusions. 

        Neelam Mahajan Singh

Journey of Life of a revolutionary, rebel, who attempted to unshackle the rigid conservativeness in the society

www.neelammsingh.in 

singhnofficial@gmail.com