It was Ramadan in the year 1841 and Abdullah Khan Achakzai was probably wondering what tribulations he had fallen under. His lover had left him for Alexander Burnes. He certainly would not see his beloved again, or taste her cooking, or even her delectable Kashmiri lips. “The Eid” or Islamic New Year was at the end of the month and what had he to celebrate? Becoming a cuckold at the hands of a Feringhee! It was an insult to his dignity – the only answer was revenge. The mocking words of the Barukzais must have been ringing in Abdullah Khan Achakzai’s ears, “Your women do not belong to you” and how true it sadly was. Burnes knew that Abdullah Khan was plotting against him in retaliation. So, Burnes “sent him an angry message – called him a dog – and threatened to recommend Shah Soojah to deprive the rebel of his ears.” Time would surely tell who was a dog. To call a Muslim a dog was a grievous insult, due to the traditional aversion towards that animal.
In the early morning of 2 November 1841/17th Ramadan 1257 A.H., in the month of Ramadan, the Kabul inhabitants had yet to finish their dawn prayer before ending with a supplication to God. No doubt many prayed for freedom from their occupiers. Others still, prayed for an end to the inflation caused by the foreigners, which was making it increasingly difficult to eke out a living. The Afghan chiefs in all likelihood prayed that the attack they had planned against Burnes would succeed. The month of Ramadan, the best of Islamic months, is one when Muslim people try and reform their ways and avoid sinfulness. The obscene conduct of Burnes during the holy month, of enticing Afghan women into debauchery, was like waving a red rag to a sorely tormented Afghan bull. On that fateful morning during the dawn prayer service, Mir Wa’iz Hajji Ma ‘sum, also known as Hafizji, proclaimed jihad in the Pul-i-Khisti Mosque, Kabul. Other mosques followed suit. The 17th of Ramadan is an auspicious Islamic date marking the battle of Badr. This battle occurred when the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and his supporters successfully defeated a much larger Meccan force, which had attacked with the intent to wipe out the nascent Islamic community. So, the battle against the British occupation tied into the epic battle to defend Islam in Afghanistan from being overwhelmed by anti-Islamic forces.
The tumultuous storm that was to engulf the military occupation came upon the city, striking like lightning at Burnes. Near to where the Maiwand memorial stands today is where Alexander Burnes’ residence stood in the old city of Kabul. The greedy flames of Burnes’ lust in devouring the women of Afghanistan were now to bring fire and sword upon his head. He had received warnings from friendly Afghans that his life was at risk but had continued to live in this insecure location. After all, how else could he ensure a steady supply of beauties coming to offer themselves to him, unless he was in the bosom of this vibrant city? More foolishly still, his younger brother was present along with Lieutenant Broadfoot.
Before the night was out, the Burnes’ brothers and Broadfoot would be dead and so were all the females in his house.
The news of this Afghan victory on the 2nd November 1841/17th Ramadan 1257 A.H. was spread across Afghanistan by letter writers: “The fact is this, that on the third Tuesday of the blessed month of Ramadan in the morning time it occurred, that with other heroic champions stirring like lions, we carried by storm the house of Sikender Burnes.”
Burnes’ lecherous conduct had finally come to grief over a Kashmiri slave girl. In the cantonments, the troops “could plainly see the smoke of the unfortunate Sir A Burnes’ house.” This was the symbol of the very real destruction of British power in Kabul.
So how was Burnes hoisted by his own petard? It was shortly after 3am when Shah Shuja’s Wuzeer on a visit to Burnes “endeavoured to induce him to go immediately into cantonments, assuring him it was not safe to remain in the city: he, however persisted in remaining, saying, ‘If I go the Affghans will say I was afraid and ran away:’ he however, sent a note to Sir W McNaghten. A Chobdar came from the King to call the Wuzeer, who asked and obtained permission to go; at the door the Wuzeer said to Sir A Burnes, ‘Why you see already that some of Ameen Oolah Khan’s people have collected to attack you: if you will allow me, I shall disperse them? He (Sir A. Burnes) said, ‘No the King has sent for you; go to him without delay.’ The Wuzeer accordingly mounted his horse and went away. The house gates were then closed, and were in a little while surrounded by Ameen Oollah Khan and his people.”
Burnes had only 14 soldiers with him and his written appeals for assistance from the cantonments met no response.
Burnes recognised Abdullah Khan Achakzai, Logari Sikandar and also Abdul Salam in the front rank of the nationalists; he sent a message to them in order to find out the reason of the attack; he also assured them that their case would be studied and their demands would receive sympathetic attention. Logari Sikandar, whose anger and temper were great, did not allow the messenger to complete his story, but severed his head with one stroke of his sword.
The messenger’s companion took back the head to Burnes by way of the Afghan reply. “Fuel was supplied from a bath opposite, and the house fired, out of revenge, by a ‘Kotwaul,’ Or constable, by name Haidur, whom poor Burnes had turned out of his post.”
Lieutenant Broadfoot was soon shot dead by someone positioned in the crowd occupying Burnes’ garden. Burnes tried unsuccessfully to reason with the crowd from his balcony. He offered the temptation of money to the crowd to disperse, but this did not work either. Burnes was now understandably desperate. The Scotsman sought to fly with his brother from the Afghans. He deserted his women to their fate and hoped to make his escape with a Kashmiri man who promised to guide him safely to the Qizilbash quarters. Burnes trusted the man: it was someone who he must surely have known, and so had confidence in. Perhaps this Kashmiri may have been the brother or cousin of one of the Kashmiri females in Burnes’ home. The Kashmiri man probably wanted to avenge the treatment of his female relatives by Burnes. So, the Kashmiri now led Burnes like a sacrificial lamb to his fate. The Burnes brothers, with very few options remaining, were fooled by this man and donned Afghan dress. They both descended into their garden where the hostile Afghans were present. Burnes’ servant Buwh Singh tells us that upon reaching the garden, the Kashmiri shouted out to the Afghans “This is Sekunder Burnes.”
“The frenzied Moollah dealt the first murderous blow; and in a minute the work was complete.” Burnes’ brother was hacked to pieces before his eyes. And then Sikander Burnes met his end. It is indeed ironic that Mohan Lal, a Kashmiri, helped British forces to successfully invade Afghanistan and now the British occupation would unravel because of a Kashmiri slave girl whom Mohan’s superior Burnes had come to grief over.
The news of this Afghan victory on the 2nd November 1841/17th Ramadan 1257 A.H. was spread across Afghanistan by letter writers: “The fact is this, that on the third Tuesday of the blessed month of Ramadan in the morning time it occurred, that with other heroic champions stirring like lions, we carried by storm the house of Sikender Burnes. By the grace of the most holy and omnipotent God the brave warriors, having rushed right and left from their ambush, slew Sikender Burnes with various other feringees of consideration.”
Burnes was killed on the symbolic anniversary of the epic battle of Badr to defend Islam against being overwhelmed by anti-Islamic forces. Afghanistan in the nineteenth century was the only country in the world that managed to reverse its occupation through force of arms against British imperialism.
Many of those Afghan national heroes like Abdullah Khan Achakzai and Aminullah Logari (who was in fact a Yusufzai) hailed from areas now in Pakistan.
