1 And defeats and im-
2 prisons Yahya Khan.
3 Shahnawaz Khan
4 assumes the governor-
5 ship of Lahore,
6 His State seal,
7 He appoints Koura
8 Mal his prime minister.
9 And leaves Adina
10 Beg Khan in charge of
11 the Jalandar Doub.
12 214 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
13 “Delhi, which was, indeed, too weak or indifferent to interfere. With Yahya
14 Khan all his officers of state were put in chains, including the old dewdn,
15 Lakhpat Rai.
16 Shahnawdz Khan, on assuming the governorship of Lahore, erased from
17 his own seal the words sl4 sexy Ss wle (oss5 Devoted servant of
18 Muhammad Shah,” and substituted in their stead the following verse :-—
19 “© Lord, thou art witness of my intentions; since my heart inclines
20 to good, bestow good upon me.” :
21 The old seal in its border had the names of the emperor’s ancestors
22 commencing from Tymur; in the new seal, he caused the names of the
23 twelve Imdms to be engraved, having relinquished the Swuni, and adopted
24 the Shid, faith. The new governor conferred the office of prime minister on
25 his dewan,* Koura Mal, whom he sent for from Multdéu and put at the head
26 of affairs. He left Adina Beg Khan, the active governor of the Jalandar
27 Dodb, who had risen during the time of his father, Khan Bahddur, and had
28 administered that turbulent province with much vigour and ability, in
29 charge of that tract of country. He settled the revenues of the country
30 and extorted large sums of money from his father’s officers. The Delhi
31 wazir, Nawab Kamr-ud-din Khan, used both threats and entreaties to induce
32 Shahnawaz to liberate his brother, Yahya Khan, but without avail. Shortly
33 afterwards, however, Yahya Khan was enabled to effect his escape, through
34 a contrivance of his aunt, assisted by. other ladies of the seraglhio. Yahya
35 Khan, having been packed up in a hamper, was placed on a tray and covered
36 to ethys Khan's escape over with cloth. The tray was carried out on the head of a page, as if
37 Secret negotiations
38 of Shahnawaz Khan
39 with Ahmad Shah,
40 Abdali,
41 Carly history of
42 Ahmad Shah, Abdali,
43 containing victuals, and the Khan, having thus regained his liberty, repaired
44 to Delhi, assisted by Ahmad Yar Khan, a powerful Pathan of Kasir.
45 Shahnawdz Khan, when he discovered the trick, punished all the accomplices
46 in the plot. As he vented his wrath upon his aunt, the old woman made
47 the following sensible and affectionate remarks :—‘ Had the circumstances
48 been reversed, and you, the prisoner, instead of Yahya Khan, I should have
49 exerted all my endeavours to have you set at liberty, for the heart of a
50 parent feels most affection for the child who is in adversity. I am now in
51 your power; dispose of me as you think proper.” These sagacious words,
52 prompted by goodness of heart, had the effect of magic on Shahnawaz, who
53 gave the old lady no further trouble. Yahya Khan, presenting himself before
54 the emperor at Delhi, laid his grievances before his majesty, through his uncle,
55 Kamr-ud-din Khan. Fearful of the consequences of his own acts, and of the
56 presence of his discontented brother at the capital, Shahnaw4z Khan opened
57 a secret correspondence with Ahmad Shah, Abdali, who had become master
58 of Afghanistan after the assassination of Nadir Shah, in June 1747.
59 Ahmad Khan, the son of Zaman Khan and grandson of Daulat Khan,
60 belonged to the Saddozai sub-division of the Abdalis. The family originally
61 resided at Multan, but Abdulla Khan, the son of Hayat Sultan, the ancestor
62 of Ahmad, settled in the neighbourhood of Herat in 1129 Hijri, and was
63 * Koura Mal was originally a corn chandler, and could hardly earn his bread, but he had
64 now become possessed of immense riches, and had the privilege of using kettle-drums and
65 flags. He was at this time govérnor of Multan.—Farhatin Nazirin of Muhammad Aslam.
66 + The name of Adina Beg Khan will frequently occur in these pages. He was the son of
67 Channii, an Aim of Sharakpur, Tahsil Lahore. He received his training in a Moghal family,
68 and having remained at Bajwdra in Hoshiarpur, for some time, emigrated early to Allahabdd,
69 whcre he began his career as a common soldier. The chief object of his study was the revenue
70 work, and his interest in the finances induced him to give up his military occupation and
71 return to the Panjab where he succeeded in obtaining the appointment of collector (eorrespond-
72 ing, in the present day, to the post of patwari) in the village of Kanak near Ludhidnd. The
73 tact and judgment which he displayed in the revenue work, soon obtained for him the gover-
74 norship of SultAnpur under the viceroy of the Panjab, and he held this appointment at the
75 time of Nadir Shah's invasion, —Ahedt-e-Adina Beg Khan. Seer ee a
76 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com