Boy, 12, shoulders family burden after brother killed in Kabul

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): A 12-years-old boy has shouldered all responsibilities of his family in eastern Nangarhar province since his elder brother was killed in Jan 27 ambulance bombing in capital Kabul.

Sanaullah lost his elder brother, Mohammad Wajid, to the massive bombing in Kabul’s Sadarat Square, in which 103 people were killed and hundreds more injured.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the Saturday’s bombing which was carried out through an ambulance in front of Jamhoriat hospital, drawing worldwide condemnation.

The dead included Mohammad Wajid, a resident of Kama district of eastern Nangarhar province, who had travelled to Kabul to eke out a living for his family.

Now the head of the family is 12-years-old Sanaullah as their father, Nashtar Gul, is serving a 20-year jail term.

Gul has been convicted in a dispute with his relatives.

On that fateful day, Wajid was on his way to a mobile phone repairing shop to get repaired his cell phone when the massive bombing occurred, taking his life.

Back at home, Sanaullah waited for three days but did not receive any call from his brother until someone informed him over the phone about the death of his brother

Wajid was buried in Kama district on Tuesday and his father was released on guarantee to attend his son’s funeral and return back to the prison.

After the burrial, Sanaullah was once standing besides his father, looking at his brother’s grave. When approached by this scribe, Sanaullah was unable to talk much. He requested the government to release his father after losing his elder son.

He started crying, saying “my father is imprisoned, free him, there is no one in our family to help us, only my mother and sisters are left in home, I had only one brother who was martyred, I..I.. request the government to release my father.”

Sanaullah, his mother and sisters are currently living with his maternal uncle and the family still fears Sanaullah’s paternal uncle, with whom his father had disputed.

Nashtari Gul thanked Mirwais Yasini, a parliament member who helped find his dead son and guaranteed his temporary release from the prison.

Gul, whose eyes had turned red after having cried too much over his son’s death, was concerned about his family.

“I had disputed with my brother. He gave bribe and was freed and I was imprisoned for 20 years. I accept the law and the government, I did not complain whether the verdict against me was just or not, but now as my family is without a caretaker, it would be a great help from the government with my family if I am released,” Gul said.

Mohammad Wajid was buried in his village’s graveyard near his home from where sound of cries could be heard.

His mother was seriously affected by the death of his son and could not talk. The death of her son comes at a time when her spouse has 17 years left in his jail term.

Talking in a breaking voice, she told Pajhwok: “I had great expectations from my son Wajid, but God took him from me.”

“Sanaullah is small and he cannot work. I do not care about myself but my daughters could not be cared without my husband, the only hope for us is the government to release my husband.”

A sister of Sanaullah, sitting beside her mother, also urged the government to release their father. “We request the government to release our father, who is the only hope for us. God may help us in this request,” she said.

Rahmanullah Dilagha, head of the local council of Kama district and a tribal elder, also said that the death of Mohammad Wajid had seriously affected the family of Nashtari Gul and requested the government to release Gul from jail.

He said Gul was innocent when imprisoned three years back and the government should release him or his family would be left without a caretaker.

mds/ma

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