File 1323/1916 Pt 1 ‘Baluchistan:- Disturbed conditions on the Anglo-Persian border. Future administration of Mekran, Sarhad & the Kalat States’ [‎186r] (369/896)

No. 70/IY-M., dated Delhi, the 24th December 1923.
Endorsed by Foreign and Political Department.
The undermentioned paper is forwarded to the G. S. Branch for in
formation, in continuation of Foreign and Political Department endorse
ment No. 70 (iv) M., dated 20th December 1923. (Serial No. 172).
Letter to the Honourable the Agent to the Governor-General and Chief Commissioner
in Baluchistan, No. 70/IV-M, dated the 24th December 1923.
183
Memorandum No. 3-S, dated Camp Delhi, the 22nd December 1923.
From the Honourable the Agent to the Governor General and Chief Commis
sioner in Baluchistan,
To—The Foreign Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign and Political
Department, Delhi.
Subject:— A fairs on Mekran Border.
In para. 3 of my letter No. 3940, dated the 29th November 1923. I
reported the raiding of a flock of sheep from Parom by Qadir Baksh of
Kohak and his treaclierous dealings with the men of the Mekran Levy Corps.
Information has now been received of another raid from Kohak in which
two Kharan caravans of eighty camels loaded with dates have been carried
off, and two men of Kharan killed. This information further states that
Qadir Baksh has already been joined at Kohak by some 200 men, mostly
Damanis, and that another 200 men sent by Dost Muhammad Khan of
Bampur are on their way there.
It may consequently be expected that there will be a continuance of
overt acts of hostility with continued raiding probably on a large scale with
which the local defence forces will find it difficult to cope.
2. The treatment of matters of this kind on the Mekran Border is
essentially one of the subjects to be discussed by Colonel Keyes at his forth
coming meeting with the Shaukat, and, should the latter on behalf of his
Government express his formal acquiescence to our dealing in a more active
way with Persian tribesmen on our immediate frontier during the period
which must necessarily intervene before Persian control is established in
this tract, there will be no great difficulty and substantial advantage in
reducing Koh'ak. I would therefore suggest that His Britannic Majesty’s
Minister be asked to inform the Persian Government of the hostile attitude
and raids committed by Qadir Baksh, and to press for a very early meet
ing between Colonel Keyes and the Shaukat, who should be vested with
authority to arrange for the treatment of matters of this kind.
The importance of preventing matters from coming to a head until
some satisfactory arrangement is come to with the Persians is fully realised
and this point has been impressed on Commandant of the Mekran Levy
Corps.
Should, however, the border tribesmen persist in this policy of hosti
lity and treachery it may not be possible to restrain the Kalat contingents,
the local tribesmen, and even the Mekran Levy Corps, who are, after all,
only tribesmen with a somewhat rudimentary military training.
184
Telegram P., No. 1812-S., dated the 24th December 1923.
Prom H. E. the Viceroy (Foreign and Political Department), Delhi,
To—The Secretary of State for India, London.
Calculations based on actuals from October 1922 to August 1923 show
net annual loss of Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. four lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees and forty thousand, appioximately.