"ملخص لمراسلات، إلخ، تتعلق بشؤون آسيا الوسطى، بلوشستان، بلاد فارس، إلخ، ١٨٧٥-١٨٧٧. مع ملاحق." [و‎‎٩‎٢] (٥٦٢/١٨٨)

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“ Without the adoption of one of these two measures, I believe the restoration of peace
in Biluchistan to he now quite impossible. Should the British Government make a perma
nent arrangement for the country, and restore the lands of the Sirdars, confiscated by order of
the Khan, to them, then I will be responsible for Mir Ibrahim Khan and Gohur Khan, and
that they will not plunder caravans, &c.”
From Mik Ibrahim Khan Mingul, to Major Sandeman, dated 11th April 1876.
“ I, Mir Ibrahim Khan, beg to acknowledge the receipt of your kind letter to my address.
I have perused its contents from first to last, and consider it a great favor your sending it to
us. In reply, I beg to say that the state of Jalawan affairs will be clear from Mir Jam Aiks
letter. To what he has written I have only to add that it is the oppression of the Khan of
Khelat that forces us to raid in his territory, and we are powerless in the matter. By violence
the Khan has forced us to abandon our country and lands, and we are living in the barren hills
with our followers. On account of the want of the necessaries of life, we are obliged to
raid the country, which is our own property, but which has been usurped by the Khan. We
for the same reason, have attacked kafilas. The Khan will not let us settle in peace, but
continually oppresses us. If the British Government desires to restore peace to the country,
and to keep the trade routes open, it should deliver us from the Khan's oppression. Do this
and no one will ever create disturbance in the country.
“ You write in your letter that you will shortly proceed to open the Bulan Pass to caravans
returning to Khorassan ; but it is not clear, from what you say, whether you merely intend to
do so for the returning caravans, or are going permanently to arrange to keep open the Pass.
If you merely intend to do the former, all is well, but if the latter, believe me the Passes can
never be safe, so long as Mir Khodadad Khan is on the throne. Prior to this, we have had no
opportunity of stating our case to the British Government. This was caused by the favor
shown by the Commissioner in Sind (to the Khan) who concealed His Highness' faults. 'We
have therefore taken the present opportunity of placing our affairs before the British Govern
ment.
“ Are we not creatures of God, that we should be so treated by the Khan? His
violence and oppression are so great that many of the loyal sirdars and Mirs have been
killed by him for no offence. How does it happen that the British Government asks no
explanation from him for his bad acts on us and on merchants ?
“ You will have heard that I lately captured a kafila proceeding from Karachi to Khelat.
Had it been my object to plunder people, I should not have allowed it to pass; but I did so.
Our wishes are those of the British Government, and hearing of your proposed visit to the
Bolan, 1 allowed the caravan to pass unharmed, merely taking Rupees 800 due to the Khan
on account of transit fees from the kafila people. What I now stated is a fact, and it
must prove clearly to you that my object is not plunder or to cause injury to trade.
“ What I am anxious to do is to lay before the British Government my wrongs caused
by the Khan’s oppression, and in doing so, I trust to receive justice from it. Should justice
be done us, and should the Khan be called on to explain the murder of Nurdin and the 75
men who were with him, many of whom were men of position, then I can safely say you will
hear of no more violence being done to kafilas.
“In seeking justice, I am not alone concerned. There are many of the relations of
deceased men who are calling out for it, and who will not cease to plunder until they receive
it. We may be killed in the struggle. What does it matter if we are? Our sons and
relatives will take our place, and will not cease to cry for justice at the hands of the British
Government, from the British Government we hope for justice. On receiving it, we will
s ttle in peace in our own country, and will bless the British Government for being able to
do so."
From Mir Gohur Khan, Zehri, to Major Sandeman, dated 11th April 1876.
« Mir Gohur Khan, beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, which has made me
very happy. In reply, I beg to state that the letters of Mir Jam All Khan and Mir Ibrahim
will have fully explained to you the state of Jalawan affairs. To what these two have written
I have only to add that I was the first victim of the Khan's oppression. On his ascending
the throne, he imprisoned Sirdar Taj Mahomed, the Chief of the Zehri tribe, without any
fault, and at last put him to death, when in confinement. Since then he has continued to
plunder my people, and his troops have taken possession of their property. Not a year passes
that he does not imprison or kill some of my people. He has reduced us to such straits that
thousands of our people are starving. We cannot settle in peace in our country in consequence
of the Khan's acts, and we are obliged to leave the plain country and to settle in the hills,
where we subsist on the plunder of kafilas, &c.
“ We are forced (firstly) to do this to live, and (secondly) in the hope of drawing the
attention of the British Government to our state; then, on being called upon for an explana
tion of our conduct by the British Government, the opportunity would thus be afforded us of
placing before its officers the sad plight the oppression of the Khan had reduced us to. In
doing this, we hope for justice from the British. We are either the subjects of the Khan or
of the British Government. Yet the Khan is allowed to oppress us, and for our acts of
retaliation we are called to account by the British Government. The Khan was truly our
Ruler, but justice requires that he should be called to account for his acts against us.