A dry-fruit trader now retired, Qassim had come to the embassy exactly a week ago as he wanted to go to India for dental treatment. Though the attack landed him in hospital with serious injuries, it failed to break his resolve to travel to India.

“Why should I be afraid (to come here again)? This is not the work of humans. There were small children nearby who died in the attack,” said Qassim as he stood in the queue to get his passport stamped for India. His wife Amina, who rushed from New York — his family is based there — to take care of her husband, told The Indian Express how pieces of glass and metal are still embedded in his body. “I will take him to AIIMS in Delhi. That is the only place that can make him better,” she said.

Exactly a week after the blast, the embassy was back on its feet today, resuming all consular operations. Within three hours, 66 visas had been issued, most of them to patients and students studying in India, indicating that as far as Indo-Afghan relations go, the suicide attack has not changed anything.

Last evening, at a memorial service conducted at the Indian Ambassador’s house, the Afghan leadership reaffirmed this position and called for “deepening and widening” of relations between the two countries.

In an emotional speech, Education Minister Hanif Atmar said the attack would not break the spirit of Afghanistan and has made Kabul more determined to increase relations with India. He said more Afghan students should head for India to learn the meaning of democracy, humanity and civility.

Amongst the visa-seekers today were several students who have been awarded scholarships by India. Hajmal Niazi has just secured admission to a Pune college. He is among some 500 students sponsored every year by India. “If we get scared, nothing will be done here. Things need to go on,” Hajmal said.