Though the conquest of India and the removal of weeds from that garden held a foremost place in his Majesty's mind, and though he was also anxious to visit Kashmīr, he postponed these enterprises and undertook* the expedition to Balkh, which had been previously determined on, and for which preparations had been made.

In the beginning of 956* (February, 1549), when the season had become milder, he sent Bāltū Beg, one of his confidants, to M. Kāmrān with the information that he was proceeding against Balkh in accor­dance with agreements, and that M. Kāmrān should co-operate in this and meet him when he should arrive at the borders of Badakhshān. Orders were also sent to Mīrzās Hindāl, ‘Askarī, Sulaimān and Ibrāhīm to make arrangements for carriage and to prepare their men and join quickly.

The grand expedition started, but because of arrangements and the disposal of business and the coming of Ḥājī Muḥammad Khān from Ghaznīn, there was a delay of nearly a month in Cālāk.* From this stage Khw. Dōst Khawānd was sent to Kūlāb to bring in M. Kāmrān.

Khw. Qāsim Buyūtāt, a former vizier, Khw. M. Beg, who was dīwān-i-ḥāl,* but owing to whose want of guiding-power (bī rashidī) Khw. Ghāzī had seized the charge of affairs—and Khw. Maqṣūd ‘Alī who was M. Kāmrān's factotum, made with others an inquiry, through the instrumentality of Mīr Barka, into the affairs of Khw. Ghāzī and Rūh. Allāh. Mun‘im Khān, Muḥammad Qulī Khān Barlās, Farīdūn Khān and Maulānā ‘Abdu-l-bāqī, the ṣadr, were appointed to audit the accounts. Husain Qulī Sulān* who was one of his Majesty's intimates, was the superintendent in this affair. The result of the inquiry was that Khw. Ghāzī and Rūḥ Allāh and a number of other condemned* clerks were held to ransom. Muḥammad Qulī Sulān was appointed to take an account of Khw. Ghāzī's property, and Khw. Sulān ‘Alī, who, by the favour of his Majesty,* had received the title of Afẓal (most excellent) Khān, was raised from the position of mushrif-i-buyūtāt to that of dīwān-i-buyūtāt.

At this time, M. Ibrāhīm came post and did homage and was welcomed with favours.

When his Majesty's mind had been set at rest about the neces­sary arrangements for the expedition, he marched to Istālif. Here ‘Abbās Sulān* Uzbak absconded. His Majesty marched slowly, as he waited to be joined by the Mīrzās. When he heard that they had started, and that M. Kāmrān was getting ready, he went by Panjshīr and encamped at Andarāb. In imitation of his Majesty Ṣāḥib-qirānī, he halted for three days at a stage* where that fortunate prince had laid foundations. Thence he went to Nārī, where there is a meeting of the ways. Having crossed the Nārī Pass, he traversed the plain of Nīlbar,* the spring beauty of which is famous and pre-eminent above that of other parts of Badakhshān. Near this flowery spot, Mīrzās Hindāl and Sulaimān did homage and were encompassed with favours. Here at M. Sulaimān's request, M. Ibrāhīm was permitted to go to Badakhshān* that he might protect the country and look after the local army.

From the neighbourhood of Baqlān,* Mīrzās Hindāl and Sulaimān and Ḥājī Muḥammad Khān and a number of experienced and ener­getic men were sent on in advance, that they might set free from the Uzbeks the town of Aibak, a dependency of Balkh which is famed for its cultivation, the abundance of its fruits, and the excellence of its climate.

At this time, Sher Muḥammad Pakna—one of the personal attendants (yasāwalān) killed a leopard with an arrow and presented it. Ḥusain Qulī muhrdār, represented that the Turks regarded it as unlucky to kill a leopard when on an expedition, and said that, at the time when Bairām Ughlān* made him prisoner and brought him before Kistan Qarā,* the ruler of Balkh, and they were making preparations in Jajaktu* and Maimana for marching to Herāt, some­one killed a leopard and for this reason the expedition was stayed. His Majesty paid no heed* to this story, and held firmly to his reso­lution of going to Balkh.

Next day the advance force arrived at Aibak. Pīr Muḥammad Khān, the ruler of Balkh, had sent his guardian, Khw. Bāgh* and a number of experienced men such as Īl M., Ḥusain Sa‘īd Bai,* Muḥammad Qulī M. and Jūjak M. to guard Aibak and provide for its defence. They reached it at about the same time as the imperial army and had no resource but to enter the fort of Aibak and secure themselves there. His Majesty arrived and set himself to take the fort and distributed the batteries. In two or three days the garrison asked for quarter and came out and did homage and Aibak fell into the hands of the imperial servants.

His Majesty held a royal festival and consulted with the atālīq about the conquest of Transoxiana. The atālīq represented that he was not a fit person to consult about such matters, but his Majesty replied that he bore marks of honesty, and that he should, without hesitation, say what he thought. Then the atālīq said that as the serviceable men of Pīr Muḥammad Khān had fallen into his Majesty's hands, he should put them all to death and go on in the career of victory, for Transoxiana would fall into his hands without a battle. His Majesty replied that it is ignoble to break one's word and that this is especially so in the case of princes; that he had granted quarter and could not recede from this. The atālīq replied that if his Majesty did not approve of this plan, he might keep him prisoner and make a treaty to the effect that all the country on this side of Khulm should be his own and that an auxiliary force should be supplied (i.e., by Pīr Muḥammad) whenever the expedition against India should take place. As the eternal will and stablished decree had gone forth against these two propositions, what was written by the pen of fate appeared to the Lord of Purpose to be preferable.* His Majesty stayed there several days. Though the climate of Aibak and its abundance of fruit were a motive for staying, yet the chief reason was the non-arrival of M. Kāmrān. The wise and far-seeing used to insist that if this delay had not taken place, Pīr Muḥammad Khān would not have been able to resist, and would either have been put to the rout or obliged to make peace on such terms as his Majesty chose. For ‘Abdu-l-‘azīz Khān* and the other Uzbek Khāns would not have been able to come to help. Since there was long delay, they had time to come to the assistance of the enemy. The Uzbek officers who had been taken prisoners, were sent to Kābul with Khw. Qāsim makhlas, one of the trusted of the Court, but his Majesty took the atālīq with him and marched by way of Khulm. Two or three days later, they passed Khulm and halted at Bābā Shāhū. Next day they encamped near the shrine* which is a well-known landmark, and scouts brought information that a large body of Uzbeks had arrived under the leadership of Waqqāṣ Sulān and Shāh Muḥammad Sulān Ḥiṣārī.*

His Majesty drew up his troops and set his foot in the stirrup of victory. A slight engagement took place between the advance guards and, at the time of en amping, Shāh Muḥammad Sulān Ḥiṣārī attacked the camp with a large force. Brave men like Kābulī Khān,* brother of Muḥammad Qāsim maujī, Sher Muḥammad Pakna and Muḥammad Khān Turkmān distinguished themselves. Kābulī fell and the enemy being unable to resist took to flight. Ūkīn Ughlān, a man of distinction among the Uzbeks, was made prisoner and brought to the presence. A dispute arose between Muḥammad Khān Turkmān and Saiyid Muḥammad Pakna, each claiming the honour of this feat. His Majesty asked Ūkīn who had brought him down. He pointed to Muḥammad Khān and said, “He first aimed a blow at me and the wind of it unhorsed me. When I recovered myself and stood up, this other man,” pointing to Saiyid Muḥammad Pakna, “struck me on the face with his sword.” His Majesty blamed Saiyid Muḥammad saying, “He was thrown down by Muḥammad Khān; you were ungenerous to strike another's catch (said).” He gave the prize of valour to Muḥammad Khān and made over Ūkīn to Pīr Muḥammad akhta to be cared for.