Mián Ghulám Nabí was a very good man. Like his

Death of Rájah Líkhí.

father he was wise, religious, and generous. His brother Abdunnabí was taken away and confined in a fort. Though Rájah Líkhí had assisted him in coming to the throne and therefore he was obliged apparently to show kindness to him, at heart Mián Ghulám Nabí hated him. He paid no attention to his slander against the Balóches, whom he knew to be a brave and faithful tribe.

About this time news of Mír Bijar’s return from Mecca was received and Rájah Líkhí became ill at ease. The approach of a dreaded enemy was a blow to him, which he did not long survive. They say he ended his life by poison. Whatever be the true cause of his death, he had a son, as wicked as himself, to step into his shoes. But Mián Ghulám Nabí entertained as much disgust towards him as for his late father. For, it is said, that the Mián often remarked that he smelt blood from him and that he had the look of a murderer about him.

Mír Bijár, who had become a Hájí now, returned from

Mír Bijár’s arrival from Meccá through Kalát.

Meccá and at first came to Kalát, where he was received very warmly by Muhammad Nasír, the Khán or ruler of that country.* He expressed so much affection towards him that he exchanged his turban with the Mír showing thereby that they were like brothers and would stand by each other to the very utmost. The Khán ordered that an army be sent with the Mír to help him in taking vengeance over his enemies, but the latter refused to accept the kind offer, saying that he felt ashamed to draw an army against his own country, and that he depended for help upon God. As he approached his native land, he was met in the way by a mourning party of his relations consisting of Mírs Abdulláh,* Fateh Alí, Fateh Khán, Ghulám Alí, Suhráb,* Alahyár, Thárah and other Balóch Chiefs. They then wrote letters to the people of Sind in general, complaining of the cruel and cowardly behaviour of Rájah Líkhí and his son Tájah, and appealing to them for sympathy, which the public were not backward in expressing sincerely in return.

When Mír Bijár arrived within twelve miles of the

Mír Bijár goes to the fort of Umarkót but leaves it soon at the false entreaties of Alahbakhsh Jhinjan.

capital he prudently made a halt there for some time in order to know the feelings of his countrymen. He was anxious to know which of the chiefs visited him for the sake of welcome or condo­lence, and which of them showed signs of disaffection. Of course Mían Ghulám Nábí dared not do anything without the sanction of Tájah Líkhí, who prevented him from showing the least favour to his enemy. Aláhbakhsh Jhinjan, as well as the Jatóí and Pitáfí Chiefs and others made common cause and determined to oppose the Mír, for, they thought any submissive behaviour would only make him tyranical to them. So they addressed a letter with the Mián’s seal to Mír Bijár, asking him why he had made such a long stay near head-quarters and telling him that if he intended to fight he might advance, or else leave the place. This letter gave the Mír a clear idea of the feelings of his enemies. While his younger relations prepared to measure arms with their opponents and became loud with indignation, Mír Bijár appeared quite cool and prevented his comrades from taking offensive measures. Without giving any reply to the letter, the very next day he moved to Umarkót with all his depen­dents and baggage. He occupied the fort driving away the Khósahs, who lost no time in communicating the news to head-quarters. Immediately Tájah Líkhí took Mián Ghulám Nabí with him and marched with an army to Umarkót. Seeing that it was impossible to remove the Mírs from the fort, he hit upon a trick to obtain that end without bloodshed. Alahbakhsh Jhinjan, being appointed leader for the time, went to the Mír and com­menced excuses for his past behaviour, speaking ill of the Líkhís. He told him that he was sorry for the letter that had been sent to him and which had been written against the wishes of the Mián and that the Mír must look to the respect and pleasure of their common master and vacate the fort. He swore to the fact that all had determined to punish the Líkhí for his mischief. Mír Bíjár was a noble hearted person. He ordered his baggage to be immediately removed from the fort, and himself with his people marched out to a secluded place.

As soon as Mír Bijár believing the deceitful Jhinján’s

Tájáb Líkhí sends a force to occupy the fort of Umar­kot and is attacked by Mír Bíjár.

words left the fort, it was occupied by 2000 men sent by Tájah Líkhí, with necessary provisions. Mír Bijár now saw clearly the trick that had been played upon him. He waited for about two months and when he found that his adversaries continued on the defensive, he sent his challenge to Tájah Líkhí, calling him to meet him in the field of battle, without giving any trouble to the Mián. When Tájah got this message, he called his comrades to the presence of Mián Ghulám Nabí, to arrange a plan for fighting with the Mír. Mián Ghulám Nabí earnestly suggested that peace should be made with the Mír, but they were for fighting. The Mián was helpless. He was carried as a puppet at the head of a large army, numbering 30,000 men. The moving figure among the chiefs was Tájah Líkhí who was assisted by Alahbaksh Jhinjan, Peróz Pítáfi, Muhammad Hasan Khuháwar and Mehráb Jatóí, each at the head of his own squadron, together with a large force of Khósahs and Afgháns. This army marched out to meet Mír Bijár in response to his challenge.

Mír Bijár had 6000 Balóches with him, all veteran

Battle at Lányárí in the Shahdádpur Talukah and murder of Mián Ghulám Nabí.

soldiers and all determined to sell their lives dear. With these he advanced to meet the enemy. The two armies met at Lányárí, in the Tálukah of Shahdádpur and blood began to flow in streams. When Peróz Pitáfi, the chief leader of the Mián’s forces fell, Mián Ghulám Nabí, seeing that his generals were losing ground and falling one after another, hastened to send one or two of his chief attendants with the Korán, to the Mír entreating him to get him out of the difficulty as he felt himself quite a prisoner in the hands of these wicked men. When Tájah Líkhí heard of this, he became very angry. Taking a handful of his cruel band he came to Mián Ghulám Nabí and despatched him with a blow, telling him “We knew that this was your object and that you were in the very beginning favour­ably inclined to the Mír; as you were against us, we won’t allow you to continue longer in that happy position.” They then turned back and coming to the river, got into a boat and sailed away to Sháhgarh. This event occurred in the year 1190 A.H. (1776 A.D.)

As soon as the confusion subsided and Mír Bijár learnt that the enemy had murdered Mián Ghulám Nabí and had fled, he was very sorry and went immediately to the spot. Seeing the dead body of the late ruler of Sind he sat on the ground lamenting loudly for him. Then he ordered a rich coffin to be prepared and sent the body off to Haidarábád, under the escort of a number of men. At the same time he sent an army in search of the villains who had committed such a murderous act.*

Seeing that the Mír’s star was rising, most of the chiefs of the opposite side, like Alah Bakhsh Jhinjan, Muham­mad Hasan Khuháwar and Mehráb Jatóí, came and paid homage to him. The Mír was too noble-minded to remem­ber their past behaviour, and readily pardoned them.

We have seen that Muhammad Sarafráz was already in

Muhammad Sarafraz, Atur Khán, Mahmúd Khán and Mír Muhammad mur­dered in cold blood, by Abdunnabí at Haidarábád.

the fort of Haidarábád. He had his two sons Atur Khán and Mír Muhammad with him. His brother, Mahmúd Khán, whom the Mírs had raised to the throne after Muhammad Sarafráz’s flight, being decoyed by the rebel chief, had subsequently joined them in the fort. Mián Ghulám Nabí had purposely kept them there, as he knew them all to be claimants to the throne. Ghulám Nabí’s brother Abdunnabí, who had charge of them all, learning of his brother’s death, became ambitious to secure the vacant throne. He therefore lost no time in calling the band of Júnejahs, who used to keep watch on the four noblemen, and instructing them to quietly despatch them. The instructions were readily carried out and the heads of four innocent men fell quickly to the ground.