"الاتجار بالأسلحة في مسقط. ١٩٠٨-١٩٠٩." [و‎‎٣‎٩] (١٢٨/٨٢)

41
Routes taken by Afghans to the Gulf.
Money, how raised-
A
Participation of Amir-
REPORT OF SECRET AGENT “ E.”
Afghan Arms trade in the Gulf.
1 . By far the larger number of traders
reach the Gulf ports by sea from Karachi
and Bombay.
Of the Afghan traders nearly all are
Ghilzais of the Kharoti, Nasir, Sulaiman
Khel sections and some of the Niazi
tribe. These men are traders by profes
sion and have taken to gun-running as
the most profitable line of business. Many
of these men have traded regularly with
Bandar Abbas for many years, there be
ing an export of cctton, wool, etc., from
Afghanistan to that port. Now that they
have taken to the arms trade these men
send their cam-els and servants overland
to Bandar Abbas loaded with ordinary
merchandise, while they themselves go
round by sea. They rejoin their camels
at Bandar Abbas, and bring them down
the coast to the ports where rifles are dis
embarked. However, the majority of
Afghan arms traders make no overland
arrangements. They book from Karachi
and rely upon being able to buy camels at
Bandar Abbas. Good Herati camels are
sold at from R,s. 2o0—350—Kabuli.
The Adam Khel and other frontier
tribes all buy their camels at Bandar Abbss.
2. The Ghilzais take most of their money
in notes. They combine among them
selves to collect their capital, and they also
borrow from their own people at interest.
None of the men he was associated
with had borrowed from Hindus in Bri
tish Territory, and the same applies to
Adam Khel.
3. Influential men and merchants of
standing can borrow from the Amir. He
does not take interest, but he requires
them to collect a considerable party of
men to trade, and he also lays down in
what district he wants them to sell the
rifles. For instance, Aupo and Muhammad
Jan, Nasirs, were lent Rs. 50,000 (Kabuli)
by the Amir, and they are to sell in Herat
and Afghan Turkistan. Last year Shah
I4I.B.