The real particulars of the so called ‘treaty of Kalat 1758’ between Mir Naseer Khan and Ahmad Shah Durrani

Treaty of Kalat 1758 with fake details

No treaty on those terms in the following screenshot was signed between Mir Naseer Khan of Kalat and Ahmad Shah Durrani. The treaty with those particulars in the screenshot, is forgery by Baloch nationalists. An attempt has been made by them to pass off Kalat as a sovereign state, with no subservience to Ahmad Shah Durrani. However all historical facts point towards the truth that Kalat was a vassal state of Durrani empire in second half of 18th century. The ‘Khan’ of Kalat did not assume the royal title of ‘Shah’. He neither struck coins in his name nor the Friday khutbas in Kalat were read in his name.

Treaty of Kalat 1758

The real particulars of the the treaty of Kalat in 1758

Naseer Khan did try to get independence from Durrani empire in 1758 but he failed in his endeavour. So he entered into the vassalage of Ahmad Shah Abdali by concluding a treaty with the following terms : 

1- “The Brahui chiefs are not to interfere in the internal feud of the Saddozais, and are to be subservient to the reigning king. 

2- Should an Ahmadzai Brahui take refuge in the Durrani country, the Saddozais are not to support him against the Ahmadzai chief of Kalat; they are either to give him up to the latter or employ him about their persons.

3- The Saddozais are not to pursue any of their tribe who take refuge in the Brahui country.” 

The above three clauses of the treaty are not from an Afghan source. It is from a Persian manuscript recorded by Mian Sibghatullah (a resident of the Kalat town) in 1838, translated into English by Robert Leech of East India Company. 

Naseer Khan was exempted from the tribute payment but as a vassal he was obliged to furnish his quota of troops in the campaigns of the Saddozai emperors. Note that other vassals of Ahmad Shah Durrani (rulers of Khurasan, Patiala, Jammu etc.) and many Pashtun tribes also enjoyed independence in their internal matters. 

Treat of Kalat

Note that Afghan sources do not mention any such treaty occurring between Kalat and Kandahar.

Share

Leave a comment