After the death of I'timád Khán the Emperor granted the country of Bhakkar in jágir to Fath Khán Bahadúr, Raja Parmánand and Rája Todar Mal.* In the month of Rajab of the same year, the Khán and the other two grantees came to Bhakkar and took posses­sion of their respective portions. Two years afterwards Parmánand proceeded to the Court in obedience to orders. The Dáríjas after­wards quarrelled with his brother Mádhu Dás, and assembled in the town of Alor with hostile intent. Two or three fights followed, and men were slain on both sides. At length some turbulent fellows joined in the attack, so Fath Khán sent his own men to put them down. The insurgents were then beaten and dispersed. Fath Khan then went to Court, where he was received with great favour. His mansab was increased, and the jágír of Parmánand was assigned to him. Fath Khán was a simple-minded man, fond of money, who paid his thanks with his tongue, but he dealt kindly with the people and provided for their subsistence. He had a vakíl named Shaháb Khán, a zamíndár of Samána, an inexperienced man, who knew nothing of business. At the instigation of one Faríd he attacked the people of Khán Náhar, and led a force against the fort of Kin-kot, which was in the hands of Ibráhim Náhar. A great battle followed, in which Fath Khán's fine men were slain. Shaháb Khán also fell with all his brothers. When intelligence of this reached the Emperor, he instantly resumed Fath Khán's jágir and assigned it to Nawwáb Muhammad Sádik Khán together with the duty of capturing Thatta. He arrived at Bhakkar on Tuesday the 12th Rabí'u-l awwal 994 A.H. (Feb. 1586). The priests and others went out to meet him, and he received them all with honour and respect. For some time he stayed in Bhakkar setting its affairs in order, but in Zí-l hijja of the same year, he marched against Siwistán. Before going on this expedition he fought with the men of Mírzá Jání Beg, many of whom were killed. The breeze of victory thus began to blow on the banners of Muhammad Sádik. He then pro­ceeded on his expedition. Meanwhile Subhán 'Alí Arghún, who was in command of the enemy, had constructed a fort on the banks of the river, and had furnished it with munitions of war. He had also collected many ghrábs and boats there. When Muhammad Sádik advanced, the Arghún came out in his ghrábs and gave battle; but he was defeated and taken prisoner alive, and many of his men were killed and wounded. Twelve ghrábs also fell into the hands of the victors. Greatly elated with these victories he laid siege to Síwistán. His operations occupied some time, but he at length sunk a large mine which carried away the gate in front of the fort. In­structions had been given that no man was to enter the fort without orders, so when the smoke and dust cleared off, the besieged set to work, closing up the breach, and maintaining a fire from their cannons and guns (top o tufang). The party on the top of the gateway which had been blown into the air fell to the ground uninjured. Mírzá Jání Beg had now advanced with a force as far as Mihrán, which is six kos from Síwán. In consequence of this, Muhammad Sádik raised the siege and went to oppose his progress. When he came opposite the Lakki hills, the ghrábs of Mírzá Jání opened fire upon him. They continued fighting for several days, till an imperial fárman arrived stating that Mírzá Jání Beg had sent suitable tribute to the Court, and had made humble and dutiful submission. Muhammad Sádik therefore returned to Bhakkar, and after a short interval he repaired to Court. One year afterward his jágír was taken from him. In the two kharíf harvests that passed while Muhammad Sádik held Bhakkar, locusts attacked the crops and famine ensued. Many men emigrated in various directions. The Samíjas and Bulúchis plundered both sides of the river and left nothing standing.

At the end of Rabí'u-s sání, 996 A.H. (Feb. 1588), the jágir of Bhakkar was granted to Isma'íl Khán, and his son Rahmán Kulí Beg came to the place. This young nobleman was wise, and treated the people with great kindness and consideration, so that through his gentle management they betook themselves once more to cultivation, and by their efforts the wasted land again became fruitful.

When Isma'íl Kulí Khán left Multán and went to the Court, the jágír was taken from him and granted to Shiroya Sultán. In the beginning of Muharram 997 A.H. (Nov. 1588), he came to Bhakkar. He was addicted to wine, and left the management of his affairs in the hands of his purchased slaves. Night and day he was engaged in riot and debauchery, and but seldom sat in public court, or allowed any one to have access to him. The pensions and allow­ances to the fakírs were stopped. At one period Shaikh Sángí received charge of the revenue and State business, and for a time he visited the shops and took possession of their money and business.* He sent his son Muhammad Husain Beg to subdue Síwí, but the Afghans assembled and fiercely opposed him. His advanced guard was composed of Bulúchís* who fled at the first attack. The main body was then assaulted. Many were slain and many taken pri­soners. The rest were broken and put to flight, but the weather was hot, and large numbers died of thirst in the mirage. Those who escaped alive were a long time before they recovered. The wails occasioned by the violence and tyranny of Shiroya at length ascended to heaven, from whence the glad tidings of his removal came to the people of Bhakkar. They escaped from his malignity and once more lived in peace, for Muhammad Sádik Khán again received the jágír.

On the second of Rabí'u-l awwal 998 A.H. (December, 1589) Mírzá Muhammad Záhid, son of Muhammad Sádik, came to Bhakkar. He treated the people with kindness and poured the balm of justice upon hearts wounded by tyranny. He was good-looking and good-natured, and he associated with learned and excellent men. He restored the pensions and allowances in accordance with the grants made by his father, and put a stop to oppression. Khwája Muham­mad Ma'súm was Muhammad Sádik's vakíl. He was a man of excellent qualities, and competent in all business. The people were re-assured and went about their cultivation and building. But a heavenly visitation fell upon the spring crop of that year; notwith­standing the care of the government, evil days ensued, and it was impossible to collect the taxes. A scarcity of food again occurred. About this time His Majesty the Emperor had to make a public ex­ample. When the Royal Court was removed to Lahore, Mírza Jání Beg, in imitation of Mírzá Sháh Husain, renounced his obedience, and pretended to independence. The Khán-i Khánán was accord­ingly sent to take Thatta and bring the Bulúchís under control. He reached the place in the month of Shawwál of the year aforesaid, between the autumnal and vernal harvests, and proceeded to set all things in order. At that time, I, the author of this history, pro­ceeded from Ahmadábád in Guzerát to the Imperial Court. By good fortune my mother had sent some little curiosities, which I presented to his Majesty. Thereupon he enquired with great con­descension how many years I had been absent from my mother. I replied that it was twenty years. He was graciously pleased to direct that I should go to visit my mother, and afterwards return to my duty. He further ordered the grant of a jágír to me. There­upon, Muhammad Sádik came to my aid, and said that as I was going to Bhakkar, it would be very pleasant to have my jágír there. His Majesty said that Bhakkar had been granted in jágír to the Nawwáb Khán-i Khánán. The latter was present at the time and said that if His Majesty pleased to make me a grant in Bhakkar he would assign it over to me, but if so he hoped to receive an equivalent elsewhere. The Royal command was then given for a grant in Bhakkar, and the officials assigned to me the parganas of Durbela, Gágrí and Chandúka. After this was arranged, His Majesty in his great kindness and consideration gave me a boat and one of his own fur coats, and as he dismissed me he quoted the line—

“Sit not down, but travel, for it is very sweet.”