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to him. At Chitral forcing the chiefs to give allegiance to him. At Chitral he repaired or reconstructed the Cho Bridge constructed by his grandfather Shah Murad.

Sultan Murad is reported to have re conquered Laddakh which appears to have been lost during the previous reign Cunningham remarks:

“Delek Gyalpo probably reigned from A.D. 1705 to 1740nand it was perhaps towards the end of his reign, or more probably in the beginning of his successor’s reign, that Laddak was invaded and conquered by Murad, the Chief of Balti, who reigned from about A.D. 1720 to 1750.”

Vigne also, on the authority of Ahmad Shah, mentions that Sultan Murad, re conquered Ladak and made himself master of Gilgit, Nagar, Hunza, and Chitral, and is said to have built the bridge near the Killah of Chitral.

Cunningham has said that Shah Murad, the third prince, is said to have take possession of Gilgit, Hunza, Nagar and Chitral and to have re conquered Ladakh and that his reign extended from about 1720to 1750 A.D. As pointed out elsewhere both Shah Murad and Sultan Murad invaded and conquered Laddakh and especially the western countries, Gilgit, Chitral etc.

It is said that Murtaza Khan was charges by Haji Karim Dad Khan, governor of Kashmir, to conquer Skardu. Shah Murad was subdued after great efforts and Murtaza Khan returned to Kashmir with tribute and hostages.

There is a local tradition that Afghans imposed a tribute, unthinkable in history vis. Beautiful girl to be presented to Kashmir Darbar as a tribute every year. The first yearly the emissaries of Kashmir Government arrived to collect the tribute and this time a girl by the name of Maryam who happened to be the wife of a deaf and dumb was handed over to them after bribing the parents in law of Maryam. The dumb husband protested and resisted against the transaction in his own innocent way but to no avail. She was carried via the Burgey Nullah. On the way she composed an elegy recounting her story something to this effect, “Let the share of my food and the portion of my cloth be given to my father and mother-in-law. O Traveler! If you ever happen to meet my father and mother-in-laws tell them that I am going to Kashmir joyfully; and if you happen to meet my deaf and dumb husband tell him that I am going with a heavy heart and shedding tears. Maryam is being carried beyond the Burgey to Kashmir. I shall pass my days in the vale of Kashmir playing with silk thread. But it has become crystal clear that there is no raja, no wazir, no public who would have said, “Don’t send Maryam from the land (that even the little