تمرد محمد يعقوب خان [ظ‎‎٢‎١‎٢] (١٧٤/١١٤)

156
PARDON EXTENDED TO SIREURAZ AND SIK.TJNDER. [ 1870-71,
the troops destined for Candahar, and as both Koorum and Khost could not be left
without some one to look after them, he was to stay on there.
575. Against his tyranny the Mulliks of Koorum sent a passionate appeal
which reached the Ameer on the 10th October. The Ameer sent a letter of
576 The mountaineers of the Sufed Koh having in October announced their
inability to pay their revenue, owing to the
Diary ending loth October. high price of provisions, Meer Akhor
Ahmed, the Governor of Jellalabad, who was in Cabul reporting his arrangements
about the Khyber Pass, returned to Jellalabad.
577. Yahya Khan, Yacoob’s father-in-law, being very tardy in paying
J up the revenue of Lughman, the Ameer
Diary ending 17th October, ^ g Uar( [ over hing an( ] only withdrew
it on his brother Zakarias intercession, and on Yahya s promising to pay up sharp.
So, on the 31st, he went off to superintend the collection in person. ' The result
was such a series of severities on his part, that the people of Lughman sent a
formal complaint against him to the Ameer,
Diary ending 21 st November. who'reprimanded Yahya Khan severely.
578. In the diarv of the 24th November it is mentioned that the heads of
the Ghilzai tribe along the road between Cabul and Jellalabad had agreed that
in future if a traveller was robbed on that road, not only would they procure and
restore the plundered property, or else give compensation for it, but they would
also make over the culprits; and the duty of looking after the security of the road
was entrusted to one man, Ismutoollah Khan, so that on the 12th December the
asrent could write that single travellers were safe.
579. Of the Ghilzais the chief most often mentioned next to Ursula Khan—
the brother-in-law of Azim, Sirfuraz Khan, of the Aboo Bukkur Khail, was during
.p.. -r , 1Q7n this period forgiven. In July 1870 he sent
his eldest son, Mahomed Kuheem, to solicit
Diary ending isth Apni 1871. forgiveness. Ursula Khan pleaded for him,
and the Ameer said he would agree if Sirfuraz could obtain reliable security for
his good behaviour. No doubt Ursula Khan offered himself as the required secu
rity, for, on the 29th May 1871, Sirfuraz came in from Swat in order to seek in
person forgiveness and restoration of his confiscated property.
580. During this period the Ameer showed a readiness to forgive another dis
tinguished Afghan refugee—Sikundur Khan, son of Sooltan Jan (of Herat), and of
the Ameer’s own sister. He had for some time commanded the Afghan troops who
were with the Bussian army in Toorkistan. He was then sent to St. Petersburg
where, as it appeared from his communications, he was made colonel of a cavalry
regiment on Rs. 250 a month. Ibrahim Khan, Colonel Pollock’s emissary, writ
ing in the beginning of 1870, said he was receiving a Russian education at St.
Petersburg.
In the diary of the 4th November 1870 there is the following entry con
cerning him :
a Yesterday, the Ameer received a letter from Sirdar Sikunder Khan (son of the late
Sirdar Sultan Ahmed Khan, and nephew of the Ameer) from St. Petersburg, stating that he
had been appointed a colonel by the Emperor of Russia, and is promised a promotion after he
has been trained one year in the St. Petersburg (army) school and has resided three years
at Tashkund, and has passed his examination; also, that his salary is only sufficient to meet his
personal expenses and not those of his family. The Sirdar means that he would like an allow
ance assigned ior his family by the Ameer. It remains to be seen whether or no the Ameer
will do anything for the Sirdar’s family.”
On the 24th February 1871 the Ameer heard from Alum Khan that four
sowars of Sikunder Khan were crossing the Oxus on their way to Cabul when
the ferry officials captured them. They said that they had brought some letters
from their mastei to his relations in Cabul, whither he himself intended to go