Bahawalpur, now part of Pakistani Punjab, functioned as a princely state under the British Raj and was formerly part of the Durrani Empire when it was ruled by the Saddozais. The disunited sons of Painda Khan Barakzai, who replaced the Saddozais in Kandahar, Kabul, and Peshawar, were more or less "Sardars" (chieftains) who were barely defending their own territories, let alone maintaining sway over Indian territories such as Bahawalpur.
In 1843, Wazir Akbar Khan, the hero of the First Anglo-Afghan War, wrote a letter to the Nawab of Bahawalpur in the hope of forming an anti-British alliance. Akbar Khan dispatched Jabbar Khan to verbally convey the details of an undertaking, potentially an anti-British one, while also hoping that the Nawab would expel the British political agent from his state. The Nawab, however, maintained strong relations with the British; in fact, he had been protected from Ranjit Singh by them and had long since lost his connections to the Kingdom of Afghanistan. He simply forwarded Akbar Khan's letter to the British without even breaking its seal. The British translated the letter into English, and it is now kept in the Records of the Ludhiana Agency (Book 15, pages 16 and 17), as cited by Farrukh Hussain in his book, Afghanistan in the Age of Empire.
"The letter that follows was written by Mahomed Akbar Khan to the Nawab of Bahawalpoor. Bahawalpoor was formerly part of the Durrani empire. The letter indicates an Afghan plan to retaliate against the British invasion of their land:
Translation of a letter from Mohamad Akbar Khan to Nawab Bhawul Khan of Bhawalpur 8th March 1843
(After compliments)
Let me offer thousand praises for having kept yourself safe and secure from the English and others. Let this be your high praise relations of friendship and amity have always subsisted between your and my ancestors ...
On the contrary (please god) these mutual relations will be more and more improved whatever agreement and promises Vizeer Futteh Khan may have formed with your father shall with all zeal be acted on. I am in daily anxious expectation of the arrival of my protector my father and as soon as under the auspices of God he arrives safe at this place my uncle Jabur Khan shall be sent to Derah Ghazee Khan for he is well acquainted with that country and is an experienced officer show him every kindness. Place perfect reliance on whatever he may tell you and act upon it and be very consistent together carry into execution the undertaking which you understand that you (ensure)... all please God it will be well done. There is no difference between us and never shall be. Be quite assured besides is now said that Mackeson a Feringhee “is in friendship with you and is with you, I would therefore suggest that if by any means on any pretext he can be turned out, you should do it without the least hesitation. You are yourself aware of the ways of the English and how deceitful they are you should continue to write to me and reply fully to this.
Akbar Khan”
The Nawab of Bahawalpoor duly sent the letter to the British authorities without even reading it.
Excerpt from " Afghanistan in the Age of Empires " (2018) by Farrukh Husain, page-368
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| Wazir Akbar Khan |
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