1 BHANGI MISUL. 305
2 an able ally in Nizdm-ud-dfn Khan, the Pathan Chief of Kastir, who exer-
3 cised great local influence, and employed him in harassing such of the Sikh
4 chiefs, including the youthful Ranjit Singh, as pertinaciously held aloof.
5 The policy adopted by Shah Zaman had already borne fruit. Most of the
6 chiefs of the Panjab had paid him homage, in person or by proxy, among the
7 former being the young Sikh chief, Ranjit Singh.
8 Towards the latter part of 1798, news of the invasion of Khoras4n by
9 Fatteh Ali Shah, king of Persia, with the intention of supporting Shah Mab-
10 miud’s claim to the throne, reached Shah Zaman, which necessitated his
11 quitting Lahore in the early part of January 1799, leaving his general,
12 Shahanchi Khan, at the head of affairs, with a large number of troops. The
13 general was instructed to watch over the interests of the Shah in the Pan-
14 jab, and see that the Sikhs lived as peaceful subjects in towns, and harmless
15 zemindars in villages. He was also instructed to use all means in his power
16 to prevent the Sikhs from assembling together in armed parties, and where
17 such parties succeeded in assembling, to disperse them as soon as practicable.
18 Shahanchi Khan, having heard of the gathering of the Sikhs in large num-
19 bers; under Ranjit Singh, at Rassulnagar (then known as Ramnagar),
20 immediately proceeded thither. Ranjit Singh called to his aid Sardar Mil-
21 kha Singh, Pindiwdla, Budh Singh and Ram Singh of Serde Kaléwala, Jodh
22 Singh, Attariwala and Dharam Singh Jalalia, and a desperate engagement
23 ensued between the Afghans and the Sikhs, which terminated very ruinously
24 for the former. The siege of Rassulnagar was raised, and Shahanchi Khan
25 proceeded thence to Gujrat, with the object of expelling Sahib Singh Bhan-
26 gi, who, after the departure of the Shab, had returned to that district, and
27 taken possession of the town and its suburbs. The Afghan commander en-
28 tered into an alliance with the Mahomedan tribes of the Jhelum; but Sahib
29 Singh, on his return, secured the co-operation of the Sikh chiefs, Jodh Singh
30 of Wazirdbad, Karam Singh, Duld, and Wazir Singh of Attari. The troops
31 under Shahanchi Khan at this time numbered twelve thousand. A severe
32 fight took place between the two armies, in which the Afghan commander
33 received a bullet wound in the chest, which terminated his existence. The
34 Pathans lost-heart on seeing the death of their commander, which led them to
35 beat a hasty and disorderly retreat, and contributed to considerably enlarge
36 the list of casualties. The general’s grave is still to be seen four miles east
37 of Gujrat.
38 About this time Shah Zaman was again assiduously employed in making
39 preparations for another invasion of Hindostan, and made his appearance at
40 Pesh4war, when the news of the fall of Kandahar called him to his senses, and
41 he returned to Kébul, giving up all idea of conquering India. Certain it is
42 that had Shah Zaman remained content with his Afghan possessions, and not
43 coveted India, he would not have lost the kingdom of his ancestors. His
44 untimely absence from the seat of his government, and from the theatre of
45 action, afforded an opportunity to his rivals and enemies of hatching plots
46 against him, :
47 It was during Shah Zaman’s fourth invasion of India, in 1798, that the
48 genius of Ranjit Singh, as a soldier and administrator of uncommon tact,
49 seems to have first attracted the attention of the Durrani Shah, and made an
50 impression, not only on his majesty, but also on other Sikh chiefs. The
51 Afghan monarch had been compelled to hasten his retreat from the Panjab,
52 by the intelligence of plots in Persia. In consequence of the Jhelum being
53 flooded, great difficulty was experienced in carrying over his ordnance. It
54 was not considered advisable to delay his march to Kabul. He therefore
55 resolved to leave the guns, and reach his destination as expeditiously as
56 20.
57 Quits Léhore,
58 January 1799, leaving
59 his general, Shahanchi
60 Khan, to look after the
61 affairs of the Panjab.
62 The Sikhs defeat,
63 Shahanchi at Rassul-
64 nagar,
65 And again at Gujrat,
66 The general is killed.
67 Shah Zaman again
68 appears at Peshawar,
69 But returns to his
70 country soon after,
71 Ranjit Singh’s first
72 acquaintance with
73 Shah Zaman.
74 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com