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surrendered. Abdal, in despair at the progress made by the invaders, and at the loss of his wives and children, opened negotiations and surrendered the fort of Kaharphucha. Zafar Khan was apprehensive that the snow would fall and close the passes and that at the instigation of Abdal, he might be attacked from the side of Kashmir. So, without making any settlement of the country, and without searching after Abdal’s property, he set out on his return, taking with him Abdal, his family and some of the leading men of the enemy. He left  Muhammad Murad, Abdal’s Vakil, in charge of the country”. Elliot and Dowson have not mentioned the events after the conquest of Kharpochu which Zakaullae has described. He writes “The Emperor received this tiding. In the meanwhile Mir Fakhruddin returned along with the family of Abdal and two lacs of rupees which had been saved from being looted. The wives and children of Habib Chak and Ahmad Chak who had fled to Skardu from Kashmir as a consequence of their instigation to revolt during the governorship of Itiqad Khan were also taken prisoners by Zafar Khan. During these days Abdal had sent them to Kashmir to organize a revolt (against the Moghals) so that the Imperial army might become disconcerted and discouraged. And, moreover, Habib Chak who had taken refuge in Tibet during Mirza Ali Beg’s governorship presented himself before Zafar Khan. Zafar Khan after provisionally entrusting the administration of Tibet to Mohammad Murad, the Vakil of Abdal, returned along with the insersions, lest the passes should close due to snow fall or lest insurrection should break out (in Kashmir) at the instigation of trouble makers deputed by Abdal. He neither made any settlement of the country nor searched for the property of Abdal. When the Emperor learnt of his return, he sent a Farman to Zafar Khan to the effect that it was not prudent to entrust the country to Abdal’s Vakil without ascertaining his loyalty after the country had been invested and fort captured as well as the Marzbans of the land and the insurgents had been subdued and without making arrangements for the settlement of the country and the people.”

The Emperor did not approve of the arrangements made at Skardu and bestowed the kingdom on Adam Khan. The latter appointed on Mirza Khan of Kharmang as his deputy to run the administration on his behalf and he himself preferred to pass his days in Kashmir and Delhi as he held a ‘Mansab’ at the Imperial Court.

Bernier (1663) also refers to the quarrel for succession between the sons of Anchan when he says: “Since some year since there have been disputes between the families of the king of Little Tibet. One of the pretenders to the crown did secretly call for the assistance of Kachomire who

 

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