Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎196v] (82/174)

124 TOORKISTAN NOBLES VISIT CABUL — COMPLAINTS AGAINST ALUM. [1870.
503. This arrangement completed the settlement of Toorkistan, and
Peramoz and Alum then sent off the following Meers to pay their respects
at Cabul:
* Diary ending soth May. Meer Hoossain Khan,* Sihanee;
Meer Dowlut Khan, son of the deceased
Ghuzunfar Khan, of Andkhoee;
* Diary ending 16 th June. Meer Hukeem Khan,*“ Ameen-ool-Moolk,”
of Shiburghan;
Meer Rostum Khan, Zaheeroodowlah, of
Muzar-i-Shureef;
Meer Mahommed Khan, Begee of Siripool;
# Diary ending 20 th June. Meer Mahomed Azeez,* of Tashkurghan ;
* Diary ending 4th July. Ibrahim Shah,* younger brother of Mahmood
Shah of Budukshan;
Kabil Beg, younger brother of Sultan
Moorad, of Koondooz.
They were received with special distinction, and there was, on the 30th
June, a grand entertainment in their honour.
Two at least of the number, the Meers of Siripool and Shiburghan, were
disposed to bring great complaints against Alum Khan’s tyranny and violent
language, saying that, unless he was transferred, the Province would be ruined;
“ but,” so the Agent wrote,* “ some Cabul officials advised them to hold this intention in abeyance
* . T , for the present, as disputes had arisen between
* Diary ending 7th July 1870. . Alum a ‘ d the Commander-in-Chief. If Alum is
suspended from the Government of Toorkistan, well and good, and if not, they will be obliged
to keep on terms with him again. The Meers, therefore, deferred this complaint.”
They said that the Meer of Maimena would certainly send a represen
tative to convey his adhesion to Shore Ali’s cause; but there was, on the other
hand, a rumour that he had read the Khootbah in the name of the King
of Bokhara.
When the Meers of Shiburghan and Siripool returned to Toorkistan, they
told the Meer of Maimena of the suspicions of his loyalty entertained at
Cabul. So the Meer, on the 29th August, sent off two of his chief officials
with presents for the Ameer. The Meer’s reported intrigues with the Afghan
refugees in Samarkund are mentioned below, paragraph 548, but I now return
to the movements of Alum Khan.
504. On the 14th of March a request had been received from him for
permission to visit Cabul, but the Ameer replied that his absence from Toor
kistan could not then be spared. On the 6th of June, when political matters
had settled down in Toorkistan, the request was renewed and this time granted,
Lall Mahomed Khan being despatched from Cabul to take his place, and Alum
being summoned to make in person a report of the state of the Province, after
delivering which he was at once to be despatched to it again. 505
505. Indeed, it was time that he should come and set the Ameer’s mind
at ease about his conduct; for, however much the Ameer might have been
satisfied with his arrangements as regards the feudatory barons of Toorkistan, his
administration had been marked by grave and growing discontent among the
army and people. Por instance, on the 21st March, the agent wrote that,
according to general report, he had been greatly oppressing the Toorkistanees :
“ He h as realized about 10 or 15,000 Tungas each from several Meers, and ten
Diary ending 2lst March 1870. tungas from each shop-keeper of Toorkistan, in
. . _ order to give the same as a present to the Com-
mander-m-Chief on the occasion of his recent public audience in Toorkistan.” It is,” the agent
wiote, a.matter of astonishment that no person has brought this interference and oppression
of the Naib to the notice of the Ameer, who is in the habit of declaring him unparalleled
m Afghanistan for his services and zeal.”