In the end, Noman’s murder joined the ranks of forgotten cases. The truth of that evening, and the hours that followed died with Rehman and Aiza on the roadside and in the sterile glow of hospital lights. The file was stamped and closed.
Maria Khushk
It was three o’clock in the afternoon. The streets were wrapped in complete silence, as if no one existed. The sun was blazing fiercely, and everyone had gone home to escape the heat and take a midday nap. However, Rehman was caught in a strange state of restlessness. He could neither sleep nor stay fully awake. Overwhelmed with worry, he dialed Sajid’s number. Sajid was Noman’s old and close friend.
“Bhai, have you called Noman?” Rehman asked, his voice heavy with anxiety and concern.
“Yes. I’ve been calling him since last night, but I haven’t received any response from him,” Sajid replied, equally puzzled, “Why isn’t Noman picking up my calls?” Sajid wondered aloud by himself.
“Should we go to Noman’s house?” Rehman suggested urgently.
“Yes, come pick me up,” Sajid replied before ending the call.
A short while later, both arrived outside Noman’s house. They stood there, unsure of what to do next.
“Should we break down the door?” Rehman asked hesitantly.
“No, how can we just break it down like that?” Sajid replied. “What if no one is inside? We’ll end up in serious trouble.”
Sajid lit a cigarette and began pacing back and forth in frustration.
“Look, the lights inside the house are on,” Rehman said, peering through the gate. “Someone must be inside. I can clearly see from here.”
In the corner nearby, an elderly security guard was dozing off. Rehman gently woke him up and asked, “Has anyone entered or left this house?”
“No, sir,” the guard replied, startled as he quickly stood up.
“When did your duty start?” Rehman inquired.
“From seven in the morning, sir,” the guard answered.
“So you didn’t sleep at night, right?” Rehman asked his voice now sharp with anger and worry.
“I must have dozed off for a while, sir,” the guard admitted sheepishly.
“Leave him,” Sajid said, pulling Rehman aside. “He won’t know anything.”
“Then who will know?” Rehman snapped in frustration. After a few moments of tense silence, he added firmly, “We’ll have to break the door down.”
“Wait a minute. Let me make a call first,” Sajid suggested.
Sajid made a phone call to Noman’s wife, greeted her with Salam, inquired about her well-being, asked about the children, and about the weather. After discussing these matters, Sajid then asked if she had spoken to Noman.
Noman’s Wife: “Noman had called me many times, but I didn’t answer his call even once.”
Sajid: “Did he call you last night?” He asked in order to clarify his point.
Noman’s Wife: “No, he didn’t call at night.” She continued, “What’s the reason behind this investigation?”
Sajid: “I’ve been calling Noman since last evening, but he isn’t picking up. So I thought I should check with you.” Then there is a brief silence, and he continued, “Can you call him and ask where he is? We’re completely in the dark.”
Noman’s Wife: “Call that girl and ask her. He must be with her.”
Sajid: “Her husband is also very worried because her number is switched off. We keep calling Noman’s number, but he is not answering. Right now, we are standing outside your house. We even asked the security guard, he has been on duty since morning, but he hasn’t seen anyone entering or leaving. If you allow me, I’ll call Aziz Sahib and ask him to search inside the house. You know Aziz very well too.”
Noman’s Wife: “Alright.” She hangs up the call.”
Sajid called Aziz; as he is one of the good and mutual friends of Noman’s and Sajid. Who is on a very good post in the police, but because of too much busyness, they do not meet much these days. Aziz attended his call on the first ring. After asking about each other’s well-being, Sajid, explained that Noman had not been answering his phone since the previous day and that no one knew his whereabouts. He added that a woman who worked under the supervision of Noman was also missing from the same day, possibly. He also mentioned that he had obtained permission from his sister-in-law (Noman’s wife) that Aziz will come and search inside of the house, as she had great trust in him, just as she trusted Sajid. And he told him that he is waiting for him, at the outside of Noman’s house. He also asked whether the presence of a police team was necessary or not.
Aziz: “I have a lot of important things on my plate, but I will send my team to Noman’s place. As far as the matter of a woman is concerned, the presence of a police team is absolutely necessary.”
Sajid: “If you yourself come, then it will also look good to Bhabhi because I have taken permission that you’re coming.”
Aziz replies: “Alright, I’ll reach Noman’s house with my team in a short while.”
Aziz reached Noman’s house. He saw that Rehman and Sajid were already waiting for him outside. Aziz instructed one of his team members to knock on the door. When there was no response even after several minutes, they decided to break down the door. As soon as the door was forced open, everyone entered the house. However, there was no one on the ground floor. When they went upstairs and checked the rooms, they found one room locked from the inside.
“Sir, this door is locked from the inside,” one of Aziz’s team members informed him.
“Break it down,” Aziz ordered firmly.
The moment the door was smashed open, when they entered the room, a strange scene appeared before them. A dead body was lying on the bed, with blood coming from his mouth and nose, and the bedsheet was soaked with blood. Beside him, there was a glass of alcohol which seems to have been drunk or maybe was spilled on the bed, because the smell of blood and alcohol was present in the room. Even more shocking was that a woman was lying unconscious under the bed, exactly at Noman’s feet, while another glass was placed on the table along with a bottle of alcohol. Rehman, upon seeing this, became shocked and stand still like a statue. He stood there frozen and went to the unconscious woman; his eyes were filled with tears. He lifted her head and placed her in his lap.
Rehman: “Aiza, what has happened to you? Aiza, tell me. Who gave you drugs, Aiza?” He was asking while crying and, repeating the same words. Rehman’s condition had become very bad after seeing Aiza. He could not understand what to do and what not to do.
Sajid and Aziz supported him. Aziz tried to reassure him, saying, “Don’t worry, the doctor is just coming to check on him.” Sajid comforted Rehman and said, “Everything will be alright. Just stay strong.
Aziz asked: “Where is Noman’s family? I haven’t met them for quite some time, so I don’t know anything about them either.”
Sajid: “No one stays here anymore. Both of their families live abroad. And just two days ago, Noman’s wife left for abroad with the children.”
“Alright, but it feels strange that Rehman’s wife was found in his room” Aziz asks.
Just then, the doctor arrives. After examining Aiza, he says that she needs to be shifted to the hospital immediately. Sajid rang Noman’s family and informs them that an incident has occurred at Noman’s house, where Noman’s dead body has been found, and the woman who works under the supervision of Noman has also been found unconscious at the home.
“You both should come to the police station to give your statements,” Aziz said to Rehman and Sajid.
Rehman went to the hospital with Aiza. She still hadn’t regained consciousness fully. The doctor said, “She’ll regain consciousness in some time.” Rehman waited there, but he also had to give his statement to the police. So he and Sajid left for the police station.
At the station, they were called in individually for questioning. First, Rehman was called inside.
Police Officer: “When did you find out that your wife was not at home?”
Rehman: “I came back from the office and saw that no one was at home. It was around the time the kids usually return from tuition. I thought Aiza had gone to pick them up. But when she didn’t return even after half an hour, I went to the tuition center myself. That’s when I found out that the children were still at tuition, but there was no sign of Aiza.”
Police Officer: “On the day Aiza was missing, who went to drop the children to tuition?”
Rehman: “The children used to go to tuition by themselves, but Aiza always went to pick them up, because they used to come back home while eating ice cream.”
Police Officer: “At what time did Aiza go out of the house?”
Rehman:”I don’t know. I had gone to the office. But the children told that at 3 o’clock when they went to tuition, she was still at home, and when I reached home at 4 o’clock, she was not at home.”
Police Officer: “Why did you immediately suspect Noman’s house when Aiza didn’t return? What specific reason or prior information led you there?”
Rehman: “I didn’t know that she was there.” He lies because he thinks about what respect will remain in his society if he tells them that his wife was having an affair with Noman.
Police Officer: “Then how did you reach there?”
Rehman thought for a moment, and becomes worried after hearing the question and wonders how he can tell them that he himself had seen his wife with that man, but even now he still loves his wife very much. And remain silent.
The officer repeated, “You haven’t answered the question.
Rehman didn’t reply, remain silent.
Police Officer: “Okay, tell me. What was the exact time you arrived at Noman’s house? Did you notice anything unusual (lights on, doors, vehicles, smells)?”
Rehman: “It was becoming three in the afternoon. Yes, the light inside the room was visible because the lights were orange in colour, so they were clearly visible, which indicates to us that someone is inside the home.”
After that, the police sent Rehman out and called Sajid inside after some time.
Police Officer: “When was the last time you spoke to Noman?”
Sajid: “On the day Bhabhi was leaving for abroad, probably 1 day before this incident. Noman himself called me and we talked.”
Police Officer: “How did you find out that Aiza was with Noman?”
Sajid: “That same evening, Rehman called me and said, ‘Call Noman and ask if Aiza is there, because her phone is switched off.’ I tried calling Noman many times but he didn’t pick up. Then at night, Rehman called me again. He was very worried because Aiza hadn’t come home since evening, she hadn’t informed anyone, and her phone wasn’t reachable. That’s why I called Noman again, but although the phone was ringing, he wasn’t picking up.”
Police Officer: “So Rehman knew about this?”
Sajid: “Yes.”
Police Officer: “But why did Rehman think that Aiza was at Noman’s house?”
Sajid: Because they had been having an affair for quite some time.” He stayed silent for a few seconds, then continued, “that’s why, apart from staying quiet, Rehman couldn’t do anything. How could he say that his wife was spending the entire night at someone else’s house?
Police Officer: “Since when was Aiza and Noman’s affair going on?”
Sajid: “It started after Noman resigned and started staying at home.”
Police Officer: “Did Rehman know about their affair?”
Sajid: “Yes, he knew.”
Police Officer: “And did Noman’s wife also know about it?”
Sajid: “Yes. The last time Noman spoke to me, his wife had left the house in anger and gone abroad.”
Police Officer: “Then how did you reach his house?”
Sajid: “Rehman called and said if Noman isn’t picking up the phone, let’s go to his house. So both of us went there and from there we called the police.”
Police Officer: “Since when have you known Rehman?”
Sajid: “We’ve been working in the same company for many years.”
Police Officer: “Then how did Aiza and Noman know each other?”
Sajid: “Actually, Rehman didn’t have much income. Aiza Bhabhi is well-educated, so I told Rehman that Noman is a writer and needs an assistant. I suggested that if she’s interested and good at typing, etc., I could recommend her because Noman had also discussed with me that he needed a female assistant, because he used to go to the office and couldn’t give much time to his passion for writing. So he needed an assistant who could fair his work.”
Police Officer: “So Aiza used to stay there at night as well?”
Sajid: “No one ever told me that. However, Rehman had said that the morning shift would be better because in the evening the kids need attention. Noman had also mentioned that he goes to the office in the morning, so his wife stays at home. He would guide Aiza in the morning and then leave for his work.”
Police Officer: “And he had resigned from his job, right?”
Sajid: “Yes, because he used to say that he was more interested in writing.”
Police Officer: “And it is possible that Aiza had a hand in Noman’s death?”
Sajid: “I don’t think so,” and after saying this, police sent Sajid outside.
When Aiza regained consciousness, the police began their investigation.
Police Officer: “Tell us, when did you go to Noman’s house?”
Aiza replied: “As soon as my children left for tuition, I went there thinking I would come back quickly and bring the kids home with me. But Sir Noman had too much workload, so while working, I didn’t realize how much time had passed.”
Police Officer: “Rehman was calling you. Why had you switched off your phone?”
Aiza: “I don’t remember anything. I only remember that I was typing, and suddenly I don’t know what happened. After that, I don’t remember anything at all.”
Police Officer: “Was Noman at home when you went there?”
Aiza: “I was doing my work. I don’t remember anything,” answered while crying.
Police Officer: “You type on the computer, don’t you?”
Aiza: “Yes,” she replied tearfully.
Police Officer: “But there was nothing in the room where you were found unconscious,”
Aiza: “I don’t remember anything,” She repeated.
After taking statements from everyone, the police filed the case and submitted it to the court, and the date for the hearing was announced. Rehman strongly supported his wife. The first hearing was brief but tense. By the time of the first hearing, Noman’s wife had returned from abroad to her home country to seek justice for her husband. The judge read out the murder charges against Aiza. Witnesses testified that she was with Noman at his home, but she was not guilty plea. After hearing arguments on bail, the court granted her bail on strict conditions. Rehman stood by her side as her only alibi.
The second hearing was fixed for the presentation of further evidence. On the morning of that hearing, they drove toward the courthouse. Their car slammed into a heavy truck on the congested highway. Aiza died instantly in the wreckage. Rehman was rushed to the ICU but succumbed a few hours later. The second hearing never happened. Without the prime suspect and her key companion to question or testify, fresh leads dried up. Overworked investigators, already juggling dozens of open files in a city numbed by violence, shifted their focus elsewhere. Whispers of political pressure or influential hands quietly sealing the records circulated but were never proven.
In the end, Noman’s murder joined the ranks of forgotten cases. The truth of that evening, and the hours that followed died with Rehman and Aiza on the roadside and in the sterile glow of hospital lights. The file was stamped and closed.
Read: Solitude Clears the Noise within You
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Maria Khushk is a freelance writer based in Hyderabad Sindh. She is author of a book titled ‘‘The Cage of Innocence’. She also contributes articles and stories to Sindh Courier.
