THE VOICE AND THE ECHO

any master nor bend to an

d a flying visit back to his home, Ghullah the owner o

.' Ghullah said. 'Then the othe

nd as the dark clouds drifted over the hills, another

uct her and her son if he doesn't return to work

little sister: "Your brother walks about like a judge in the

er,' Sobia rem

ore but she was forced to do so for the word 'threat' doe

'll kill you too.

to the train station to see Iqbal and his colleagues off to Sweden. The news that the

threatened by his master. As Iqbal strolled to the market

acksmith laid down the heavy hammer he had been wie

'Perhaps later, when you have become a doctor, and

is, he rumbled into laughter, and his sin

u seen yo

No

low for now pleas

uckled. 'But a free

e said, tapping him on his

d, accompanied by Mr. Ehsan who was deputizing the Bonded Labour Liberation Front, BLLF; and with the host

asked, feigning not to take notice of other c

in the manner of her people. Iqbal's head swayed, weighing

d perhaps, mature enough to rule over his own will and his fate.

ldren going to?' an

of which no lady could resist growing in love or lust. The eyes were like metals

s was to be their first long journey away from Muridke. Most of them might had been to neighbo

alk tall with pens, not forks. And thank

htfall is over. Impoverishment is going. Slaver

his palm. A fistful of coins. The old man was so delighted. The joy in h

mith wasn't exempted from the same fortune. Then him and the blacksmith went t

children hung around the corridors. Some face

edible flag of white and green bands, with ha

es cladded on shalwars and kameez - shirts com

boy with enormous spectacles as

al.' He s

you from?' Anot

kist

hat filthy rag

ity and pride; not

se

, huh?' The third boy th

' Iqbal answer

still trying to figure out what was happening. The other boys were

calated. It was the shalwar - loose pair of trousers of the Pakistanis children billowing a

on. He then turned to his friends, gave them a meaningful look and they all recoiled in