BOOK 2

Chapter 8: Brief version/Full version

At the break of dawn, Haleema visits the local Imam, begging for help to locate Imran. Shafiqa and Rukhsana join her, and together, they decide to go to the Saddar Police Station. On the way, they observe the quiet, cold streets, noticing signs of the harsh winter and desolation in their surroundings. When they reach the police station, the constable listens sympathetically to their plea but explains that the police no longer file FIRs against the army. The police’s role has been reduced to recovering and identifying dead bodies. He advises Haleema to approach the army directly, as Imran is likely in one of their camps.

On their way back, the group comes across a gathering of boys checking the results of the tenthgrade exams. Haleema, despite her emotional state, asks the boy handling the results to check her son Imran’s status. The boy confirms that Imran has passed with distinction, scoring 377 marks. Overcome with emotion, Haleema breaks down in tears, her grief compounded by the news that her son succeeded academically despite being taken away the previous night. The result serves as a bittersweet moment, highlighting the juxtaposition of Imran’s success and the tragedy of his disappearance.

Later, Haleema continues her frantic search for Imran at the mosque. While the Imam leads the prayer, Haleema sits outside, anxiously waiting for the namaaz to end. Her heart is heavy, and a sense of impending doom fills her, making her believe that she may have lost her son for good. As people begin to leave the mosque, she desperately asks them if they’ve seen her son. Haleema’s despair becomes more pronounced as she jostles through the crowd, pleading for any information about Imran.

The Imam, at Haleema’s request, makes an announcement at the mosque, calling the community to gather at the shrine to show solidarity for Imran. The people of Natipora, including young boys, elderly men, and women, gather in support of Haleema. She expresses her anguish, reminding everyone that Imran is her only reason for living. Together with the community, Haleema marches to the local army camp, hoping to find answers about her son.

At the camp, the Imam speaks to a guard who initially seems to acknowledge that Imran was brought in, but another soldier interrupts, casting doubt. The Imam is allowed to speak with Lance Naik Sharma, but a soldier secretly informs him that Imran has likely been moved elsewhere. Suspicious of the soldiers' behavior, the Imam leads the crowd back to the shrine.

The community gathers at the shrine, blocking the road in protest to draw attention to Imran’s case. The army responds aggressively, beating the protesters and dismantling their blockade. Despite these brutal dispersals, Haleema and the community persist, returning each day to protest at the camp, where they are met with violence. Eventually, the soldier who tried to help Haleema is transferred, and the chance of gaining more information diminishes.

The Imam tells Haleema about a boy matching Imran’s description seen at a different army camp. They visit the camp named ‘Malaysia,’ where they plead with soldiers to see the boy, but the major denies any knowledge of Imran or involvement in his abduction. Though a trooper seems willing to give them a clue, the conversation is abruptly cut short, leaving Haleema in despair. She continues to visit the camp daily, hoping for a breakthrough, but a new battalion takes over, making her efforts futile.

Haleema’s desperation grows as she sells her cattle, jewelry, and valuable items to fund her search. The Joo house becomes empty and forlorn, with Haleema often alone, talking to Imran’s belongings, smelling his clothes, and mourning his absence. She spirals into grief, finding comfort only in her memories of her son.

Determined to spread word of her son’s disappearance, Haleema goes to the local radio station. There, she meets a sympathetic man who directs her to the news producer. However, the producer dismisses her, telling her that the radio station does not broadcast such news. Haleema is advised to try the television station, but there too, she is told that her story is ‘dangerous and unconventional.’ Frustrated and heartbroken, she leaves, realizing that the media won’t help her.

On her way home, Haleema overhears a man reading a newspaper and remembers the advice to approach print media. She disembarks near Press Enclave, seeking the offices of various newspapers, but her quest to get her son’s story published remains a daunting task.

Izhar takes Haleema to the office of the Urdu newspaper Waadi ki Aawaz, where he speaks with the editor, G.N. Shaida. Despite government pressure against publishing sensitive content, Shaida agrees to run a story about Imran’s disappearance. He assures Haleema that the news will appear on the front page of the next day’s edition. Izhar also advises Haleema to take legal action and introduces her to a lawyer who offers to take her case free of charge.

That night, Haleema is too anxious to sleep, waiting for the newspaper. Early in the morning, she collects a copy of Waadi ki Aawaz from a passing newspaper boy. To her relief, she finds a small photo of Imran on the front page, accompanied by a brief report about his disappearance under the headline ‘Haleema’s Double Tragedy.’ Haleema reads the article aloud multiple times, finding some comfort in seeing her son’s story in print. She carefully folds the newspaper and stores it in her heirloom trunk, treasuring the small victory in her long and painful search for Imran.