Twilight of the Sultanate c10.s1.14

c10.s1.14

Khizr Khān's death provided a golden opportunity to Jasrat to raise his head, and in the very month of Mubārak Shāh's accession he descended on the Punjab like lightning. Starting from Sialkot and crossing the rivers Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, he attacked Rai Fīrōz Maīn,¹⁵ governor of Ludhiana, at Talwandi¹⁶ and drove him towards the east. Jasrat ravaged the country along the southern bank of the Sutlej as far as Rūpar and then recrossing the river laid siege to Jalandhar. Jalandhar had been taken by Khizr Khan from Tughān Raīs during his last rebellion and was placed in the charge of Zīrak Khan. Invested and hard pressed, Zīrak agreed to the terms offered by Jasrat Khokhar,¹⁷ but when he came out of the fort he was treacherously imprisoned by the Khokhar chief and carried off to Ludhiana. Marching from Ludhiana, Jasrat arrived at Sarhind,¹⁸ which was held by Sultan Shāh Lodī on behalf of the Sultan of Delhi. He laid siege to the fort but because of the rainy season failed to take it. This gave Sultan Shāh time to appeal to Delhi.