Twilight of the Sultanate c10.s3.15

c10.s3.15

A little after this, it was reported that Shaikh 'Alī was once again advancing to the aid of Faulād Turkbachchā, who was being besieged at Bhatinda by the royalists. Greatly worried lest the fear of Shaikh 'Alī should prompt the royalists to abandon the siege, the Sultan immediately sent Malik 'Imādul Mulk to reinforce the besieging army and his arrival there indeed emboldened and strengthened the royal officers and men.⁷⁰ But concentration of troops at one place made the work of the governor of Kabul all the more easy. He issued from Shorkot, plundered the villages along the banks of the Ravi, took a number of prisoners from Sahaniwal or Sahiwal⁷¹ (Montgomery) and arriving in Lahore began its investment. Malik Yūsuf, son of Sarwarul Mulk, Malik Ismaīl, nephew of Zīrak Khan, and Malik Raja, son of Bahār Khan, commanders of the Lahore garrison, either because of lack of confidence in themselves or because of lack of trust in the city people,⁷² fled towards Deopalpur, and Shaikh 'Alī occupied Lahore without any opposition. He plundered the citizens, desecrated the mosques,⁷³ and then leaving a garrison of 2,000 troops, he marched out to attack Deopalpur to which Malik Yūsuf had retired. But the wretched Yūsuf having heard of the move of Shaikh 'Alī, began to plan to abandon the fort of Deopalpur just as he had abandoned that of Lahore. This was the result of promoting incompetent men. Yūsuf had never shown any talents and his rise had been due only to his intriguing father, the Vazīr. When 'Imādul Mulk, who was still besieging Bhatinda, came to learn of Yūsuf's intentions, he despatched his brother Malik Ahmad with a large force to hold Deopalpur. Shaikh 'Alī had been badly mauled by 'Imādul Mulk on a former occasion and the dread of the latter's name dissuaded him from attacking the place, but he took possession of all the towns between Deopalpur and Lahore.⁷⁴