The Afghan Martyrs — Page 9
calamities would befall it The British writer was amazed and surprised to see that although it was not the normal season for dust storms, during the night that followed the day of the martyrdom a dust storm of great ferocity, more severe than any that had been witnessed in the past, blew with gale force. It roared with such great velocity that the whole population of Kabul began to say that since an innocent sage had been slaughtered, the storm was a sure sign of Allah's wrath. That was not all. On the day following the day of martyrdom, cholera quite suddenly began to spread in epidemic form. As the spread was sudden and unexpected the local population in Kabul began to believe that it was a direct consequence of the revered Sahibzada having been unjustly killed. Exemplary End of those responsible for the Martyrdom Nasrulla Khan, the then Governor of Kabul, was the leading conspirators amongst those who were responsible for perpetrating this terrible deed. He was a brother of Ameer Habeebulla, and according to Martin after the event both the King and the Governor were gripped with indescribable fear. The King would spend many apprehensive hours on his prayer mat and would remain engaged in Namaz day and night. As a precaution neither the King nor the Governor would permit anything edible to be brought into or taken out of their palaces. Their visitors were detained and were obliged to stay with them in their forts as they feared that somehow cholera germs would assail their palaces. Nasrulla Khan was very fond of his wife and after a great deal of suffering she died of cholera before his eyes. Being confined to the fort had not really helped. Nasrulla became imbalanced and for a while he cut himself off from everyone. However, a short while later he recovered and began to take part in the affairs of the 9