After this episode, I don’t really think I have enough strength left to go on. Though I desperately want to know how this tantalizing story ends, I don’t think I can stand to watch Bano go through the pain of seeing all her country’s faults. But I’ll have to try.
In this episode, I truly realize the extent of Rabia’s love towards Hassan. She’s willing to live her entire life by his side, even if he never marries her. She loves him in the same way that he loves Bano. That one dialogue said by her “Aap ki khudgarzi pe meri jaan bhi qurban,” shows how Rabia really is willing to do anything for Hassan.
Unfortunately, Hassan doesn’t really know what to do right now. It seems that this time, since he was the one to drive Bano away, he’s taking her separation from him a lot harder than before. He doesn’t want Rabia to leave, but he also promises never to marry her. He’s confused and lonely, and now that he’s driven away his only love, he’ll be more forlorn than ever. Rabia is the only person left who can bring him even a touch of happiness, so he obviously doesn’t want her to leave him as well.
Meanwhile, Bano is feeling happier than she has in years. Living in the home of her fellow Pakistanis, who take her in without question, gives her hope and reminds her that she is in Pakistan, the home that she’s dreamt about. That one line said by her when she asks to go out to work “Insaan agar uski nafs pe kabu na pa sake, to use insaan kheh lanay ki zaroorat nahi hai. Usse churiya ghar mein band karna chahiye,” shows just how educated and wise Bano really is. It also sends out a message to all of those people out there who think that women should just sit at home all day and do housework: Allah gave every human their own individual rights, and nobody has the jurisdiction to take those rights away except for Allah himself.
From this line, you can realize that the purpose of this drama is not only to give a welcome to reality to those people who are losing sight of Islam, but also to those people who grip too tightly to it. Most people don’t realize that a lot of the things they know about Islam are false. Things you hear from others have no guarantee; the Qur’an is the only place you can turn for undeniable fact, but most people never even take the time to open one up and read the meaning.
Every scene of Bano while she is working at the home of that rich woman makes my heart heavy; if I, who knows about all these sad truths, can barely handle this reality, imagine how Bano must feel, seeing all of this for the first time. As Hassan says “Agar usse Pakistan ki asliyat pata chal gaye to wo pagal ho jaye gi.” It seems that this is what is destined to happen to our beloved Bano. I doubt she would be able to handle the reality of Pakistan, as it is her only refuge after everything that’s happened to her.
The scene at the party where that group of men is talking and one says “School bana raha tha, laikin mainay rukh wadiya. Kameen kameen jab school janay lagein ga, to un mein aur hum mein faraq kya reh jaye ga? Mainey do chaar dey k rukh wadiya,” is really depressing, albeit eye-opening. I wonder what must have passed through Bano’s mind when she heard this. Undoubtedly, she must have been thinking “Is this really the Pakistan that my family sacrificed themselves for?” I’m sorry Bano.
I don’t know what Mrs. Baqi is going to do to Bano in the next episode, but I’m sure that it will break her much more than anything Basanta could ever have done. Her own Pakistani people treating her like this? I don’t think she’ll be able to withstand the pain.
Wishing everybody reading to remember the sacrifices of our ancestors before doing something they’d be ashamed of,
-Noorie
