'Memorandum by the Rev. G. P. Badger on the Pretensions of Persia in Beloochistan and Mekran, drawn up with especial reference to her Claim to Gwadur and Charbar' [‎1r] (1/20)

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Memorandum by the Rev. G. P. Badger on the Pretensions of
Persia in Beloochistan and Mekran, drawn up with especial
reference to her Claim to Gwadur and Charhar.
Submitted to Bombay Govern
ment in Letter dated 3d June 1861.
Whatever pretensions Persia may entertain to the possession of Beloochistan
and Mekran, her actual jurisdiction in those provinces, as late as the year 1861,
was almost exclusively confined to the interior. Major Goldsmid defined the
Persian boundary in that territory, irrespective of the coast, as follows : —
“ Draw a line from Kej to the north frontier of Beloochistan, and south-west
~ “ to Gwadur, and that would represent the country
Mr/stewSMatedKur?a 0 <!heri3th “ ^ etw e en ,?« rsi | a and Mekran, as far as we know ;
April 1861. “ lor all chief places to the west of that line, such
“ as Jalk, Kusserkund,&c., are either paying tribute,
“ or yield their revenue to Persia.”
This approximate definition of the frontier line
corresponds with the information which I obtained
at Muscat from two Beloochee Chiefs, who were well
acquainted with the country and politics of Beloochistan.
According tp the statement of Meer Hussein, the Governor of Jashk on the
part of the Sultan of Muscat, the Persians were then in possession ofBunpoor,
Kusserkund, Nusserabad, and the whole of the territory to within a short distance
of Kej, which latter place, he said, they might easily capture. The Beloochees
had twice repulsed the invasion of the Persians within the last few years, but had
finally succumbed, and were now obliged to pay tribute to the Shah, and to furnish
men for the Persian army.
Mullah Isa, the other Chief referred to, gave me the following details on the
same subject:—Bunpoor and the district of Dizzuk were conquered by the
Persians about twelve years ago. Bunpoor formerly belonged to the Naoori, a
Belooch tribe, from whom it was taken by Mehrab Khan, the son of Agha Khan,
now at Bombay. Some time after, Agha Khan removed Mehrab Khan, and placed
Bunpoor under his younger son, Aboo’l Hasan Khan, who was Governor of the
place when it was captured by the Persians, and in their hands it has remained
ever since.
The Persians were twice defeated in their attempts on Dizzuk, and, according
to the latest accounts, they only held one fort there; but my informant was not
certain whether they or the Beloochees were supreme in that district. The Belooch
Chief of Dizzuk was Azzad Khan of Haran, of the Nashrawani tribe, and the name
of the Persian Governor w as Alim Khan. Azzad Khan was represented as being
at variance with Khododad Khan of Khelat, and in alliance with his father-in-law,
Pohindul Khan of Candahar.
It would appear from the foregoing, that the encroachments of Persia in
Beloochistan began about fifteen years ago. Their conquests hitherto, however,
with the solitary exception to be hereafter named, have been confined to the
interior.
With respect to the prevailing sovereignties on the coast of Mekran, I find
that the result of my inquiries is confirmed gene-
* Letter to the Secretary, Bombay rally by the official report of Mr. H. Rassam,* and
l^overmnent, dated 27th. February a p a p er forwarded to Mr. Stewart by Major
Goldsmid, and compiled from information obtained
from a Bunya named Jethoo, and a Belooch Nakhoda named Bundo. The paper
is dated Kurrachee, 19th April 1861.
4887.
A