The Judge's envelope
The Judge's Envelope
By Faraz Parvez
Professor Dr. (Retired) Arshad Afzal
Retired Faculty Member, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, KSA
(Pseudonym of Professor Dr. Arshad Afzal)
Chapter 1: The Whisper Before Dawn
Karachi woke up that morning with the usual din of rickshaws, hawkers, and hurried commuters. But inside Courtroom No. 4 of the City Sessions Court, the air was unusually thick. Judge Sarfaraz Mirza sat erect, his seasoned eyes scanning the courtroom through his thin-rimmed glasses. For twenty-five years, he had ruled his bench with iron discipline and an unswerving commitment to justice.
Today was different. The trial of real estate tycoon Feroze Baig had the entire city watching. Baig was accused of illegal land acquisitions, forced displacements, and orchestrating a fire that had killed seven slum dwellers.
ACP Hania Asif, the fearless investigating officer, sat with her case file clasped tightly. She had been mentored by Judge Sarfaraz years ago and admired his integrity. In the opposing bench sat Adeel Rehman, a sharp and ambitious defense attorney known for his courtroom theatrics—and his mysterious past.
Just as the hearing commenced, a junior court clerk placed a sealed brown envelope on the judge’s desk. No name. No markings.
Judge Sarfaraz opened it casually.
One photo. One phrase.
"You failed her, and now she pays the price. Stop the trial."
His face went pale. It was a photograph of a young woman—bloodied, tied to a chair. A girl he hadn’t seen in fifteen years.
His daughter, Nimra.
Chapter 2: The Deal Beneath the Bench
He didn’t flinch. Years of stoicism kept his hands from trembling. But inside, Sarfaraz's world cracked. Nimra had disappeared as a teenager, rebelling after her parents' divorce. He had buried the guilt, until now.
“Proceed with the first witness,” he said evenly.
But behind the calm, a storm brewed. Who had her? Why now? Was it Baig? Or someone else?
ACP Hania noticed the judge’s subtle shift in tone. A slight pause here, a longer glance there. She knew him well. Something was off.
In the courtroom corridors, Seema, a sharp-tongued investigative journalist, tried to interview court staff. Her latest piece on political encroachment had touched raw nerves. She had her suspicions about Baig’s links with government insiders.
Meanwhile, Adeel received an anonymous message on his burner phone:
“The judge will bend. You must strike.”
He deleted it instantly.
Chapter 3: Everyone Has a Price
That night, Sarfaraz returned to his Clifton apartment in silence. He hadn’t called the police. Not yet. One wrong step and Nimra could be gone.
The next morning, a second envelope awaited him. This time, inside was a USB stick. Footage of Nimra begging, a hooded man pacing behind her.
She whispered: “Baba… don’t let Baig go free.”
The contradiction hit like a slap. If the blackmailer wanted the trial stopped, why was Nimra asking him to pursue it?
He realized—there were two forces at play. Someone wanted Baig free. Someone else wanted justice.
Was Nimra being used by both?
Chapter 4: The Web Untangles
Hania, driven by intuition, bugged the witness room. That’s how she caught Rafiq, Baig’s henchman, threatening a key witness’s brother. The audio blew open the case.
Adeel, pressured from multiple sides, broke. He met Seema in secret and confessed—he had once loved Nimra. They were college friends. After her disappearance, he had joined law to investigate from within the system. He believed Baig’s cartel had abducted her then too.
Now he feared something darker.
The court erupted the next day as Hania played the audio. Baig shouted threats. Sarfaraz, fists clenched, demanded order. Adeel asked to submit new evidence.
A third envelope arrived at the judge’s chamber.
Inside: a photo of Nimra, freed.
A note: “Well played. You chose justice.”
Epilogue: Beyond the Bench
Feroze Baig was convicted. His cartel exposed. Hania received a medal. Adeel joined Seema’s investigative team. Sarfaraz resigned days later, citing personal reasons.
He reunited with Nimra, who was recovering in a safe house in Lahore. She had escaped on her own, using a trick Adeel once taught her—mark your trail subtly.
Karachi moved on, but those in the know remembered the case.
Because sometimes, even a judge must gamble everything to keep justice breathing.
Read more gripping stories on justice, power, and truth at:
🌐 farazparvez1.blogspot.com
🌐 mysticwisdomhub.blogspot.com
By Faraz Parvez
Professor Dr. (Retired) Arshad Afzal
(Pseudonym of Professor Dr. Arshad Afzal)
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