"تقرير الإدارة عن المقيمية السياسية في الخليج الفارسي للأعوام ١٩١٥-١٩١٩" [ظ‎‎٦‎٣] (٣٩٦/١٣٣)

48
PERSIAN GULr ADMINISTRATION REPOET
reports in circulation concerning the property left by the Saiyid. Some say
he was enormously rich for these parts and had besides a large number of
rifles with a corresponding quantity of ammunition amongst his possessions.
Others ridicule the idea and state he was only a trader on a small scale and
died practically a poor man. Mir Barkat is credited with having taken over
all the Saiyid's estate and report has it_ that over 500 rifles passed into his
hands. This is, however, only a suspicion, unsupported by proof.
Sardar Islam Khan, the recognised chief of these districts, has the
Bint and Karnan. reputation of being a strong man and
well disposed towards us, but he did not
show up well during the earlier part of the year when great unrest prevailed
in the Karwan district, the Khalifa Khair Muhammad for some unknown
reason being permitted to cut the lines or urge the people to do so whenever
it pleased him. The Joushdaris and other Karwanis, under the instigation of
the Khalifa between February and July last, on eight occasions, interrupted
communication between Jask and ^harbar, thus rendering the land -lines
useless to Karachi and seriously interfering with the traffic between Meso
potamia and India. The duration of interruptions during these months totalled
17 days, the cause varying from destruction of the lines to the removal of
insulators. Islam ^Khan, when referred to, always replied to the effect that he
was powerless to interfere with the Khalifa and his doings, as the man had all
the country with him, and that he could only take steps to pacify the people
when our Government came forward to assist him with munitions and men.
Since August last little or nothing has been heard of the Khalifa ; from hein?
openly hostile he appears to have quieted down and reports have come in that
he was desirous of being friendly and it has also been said that he regretted
his past conduct. At the time of wiiting the Khalifa is residing at Mo^ansha-
boo, a village in the i5int district.
About July last, in a squabble between Mirza Khan, one of Islam Khan's
brothers and the son of the latter, the result of a dispute concerning the rio-ht
to collect revenue in certain districts, a fight ensued at Bint and with it the
death of Mirza Khan who was killed by a stray bullet. The first report
received of the fight exaggerated the casualties which were said to be many ;
later on it came to light that Mirza Khan was the only one to receive mortal
injuries and that the cause was due to the man coming out in the open when
both sides were firing wildly at the time. The death of Mirza Khan has heen
the cause of a deal of friction between the younger brothers (Nagdi and Sahib
Khan) and Islam Khan, the former asserting that the elder brother (Islam
an) the instigator of his death and that his son had instructions to do
away with him. But from information received such is not the case ; Mirza's
death was the result of an accident ; if he had remained under cover until the
subsided, no harm would have come to him. Several influential
W, ii; ^ lng ? Ba '; kat J'f Biaban and Mir Mustafa Khan of Jask, are
n S J\ ei " Se - VeS 1 , n the affalr aild wil1 shortl y proceed to Bint with the
intention of bringing about a reconciliation between the brothers.
Since the death of Sardar Saiyid Khan his eldest son Hussaiu Khan, a
Gaih and Katserkund. 0 f about 12 years, is the leading Sar-
noHrmo of ^ ^ ar these districts, and iudsrinor bv his
strormaJ ff K W ° uld appe *Y that he wiU P^ably turS out a
Sardar Islam Khan nf TVt'' | S ' 0 ' Je under the guardianship of
disWct butThe tninwh'al i f fT 18 a™ 11 ? managing the affairs of the
Saivid Khan tin's nVn'of woe • I saia tuat, by the express wish of the late
raised by closer relat,V J ns P1 of n th e ^ate Sard"^ ^ of , the ,, 0pl)0Siti0n t
interference hv a a - iaI;e kardar, who naturally resent
control the countrv during fhT 10n ' ^ -f ^ COnsi(ier ^ mor e their right to
appointment of Islam a^i^arrl!^ h min0ri ty 9 Hussain Khan. Besides, the
the Mekran and he is onlv arl^ ias Cle ^. e ^ J ea lousy amongst all the chiefs in
being reported that Hussain Khan and his folS Cl0Se ^
and supplies cut down to a minimum ' trs are stinted in everyway