'Report of Khan Bahadur Maula Bakhsh, Attaché to the Agent to the Governor General of India and Her Britannic Majesty's Consul-General for Khurasan and Sistan, on His Journey from Meshed to Quetta via Turbat-i-Haidari, Kain, Sistan, Kuh-i-Malik Siah and Nushki (7th April to 28th July 1898)' [‎36v] (77/156)

50
REPOET OP KHAN BAHADUR MAULA BAKHSH
ul-Mulk. He went to Gazik whence he made his way to Birjand, where he
remained for about three weeks and had several private interviews with the
Shaukat-ul-Mulk, Chief of Kain. He reached Meshed about the middle of
April, was there for ten days, and returned by way of Birjand, where he again
had a private interview with the Shaukat-ul-Mulk.
“ On his return to Sistan, on the 13th May, Ghulam Rezd Beg told some of
his friends that the Shaukat-ul-Mulk had promised to reward him handsomely
and to take him into his own service should he kill Abdul Wahab Beg.
“ Now that matters have come to this pass, the general opinion in Sistdn is
that unless the Hashmat-ul-Mulk reinstates Mir Ma’sum Khan as Deputy
Governor and gives an assurance that he will not interfere with any of the
Sardars or Kadkhudas connected with Abdul Wahab Beg’s murder, the people
will not submit to his rule, as they are afraid that he will ill-treat or, perhaps,
kill some of them in revenge.
“ Sardars Sa’id Khan, Khan Jan Khan, and Purdil Khan have, in their own
interests, been intriguing against the Hashmat-ul-Mulk, and they are very
anxious that Sartip Mir Ma’sum Khan should continue as Deputy Governor of
Sistan, because they can prevail upon him and do what they like in the
country.
“ Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Sa’id Khan (son of Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Sharif Khan Nahrui and maternal uncle
of Sartip Mir Ma’sum Khan) who is at Meshed at present has written to Sartip
Mir Ma’sum Khan to say that the Governor-General of Khurasan and Sistan
is willing to give the Government of Sistan permanently to the Sartip, if the
latter gives him a good present and the Shaukat-ul-Mulk stands security for
the timely payment of revenue; but Sa’id Khan is not a man to be trusted or
employed by the Governor-General in negotiations of this sort and has
probably invented the story himself.
“ Various false reports are periodically invented by Sa’id Khdn and other
Sistan Sardars from their own imagination. The rumours that have recentlv
been adoat in Sistan, to the effect that the Persian Government are negotia«
ting with the British Government to exchange Sistan for Herat and that & they
are arranging to cede Kdin to the Russian Government in return for Marv
have all emanated from the fertile brains of these people. Their object in cir
culating such alarming reports is to spread disquiet in Sistan and to encourage
the people to take combined action against the Hashmat-ul-Mulk by making
them believe that he is not likely to continue as Governor of Sistan for anv
length of time, and that, therefore, they need have no fears from him.
inus the Hashmat-ul-Mulk has tried to change the Deputy Governor of
See paragraphs 10 (A), 64, 75 , and 76 . Sistan, but failed. He made an error of
j • a . « ... judgment. Had he not listened to the
contend wit'h. miS0hleV0US adl,erents he wo “ ld not have had any difficulties to
If he w shed to remove Sartip Mir Ma’sum Klian from Sistdn he oueht to
have invited him and his mother to Meshed, and instructed them to leave the
affairs of country temporarily in the hands of a Pishkar or a Farra h Bash,
Under those circumstances, the Sartip and his mother, thoush reluctant to
leave Sisum even temporarily, would have gone, and after he Vd o-ot them
madRe^dEha’n Ab^u^Wah'hB C ° Ultl ’V 6 easil y sent Sarhang^Muham-
intrigues against him. courage to carry on any
the Haffi e llulM^ S pl S ay! 0 hL h :: r d:Tentv 0r not lik0 '{ t0 happen ’ prOT, ' ded
aT;“ r*■ Utl0^i ‘ J, ' A " 1 >'i'' 1 * l ““