New History of the Marathas v2.c26.69

v2.c26.69

4. The Punjab ceded to Abdali.—In the meantime Najib Khan the leader of the Indian Pathans, smarting from the defeat he had to sustain at the hands of Safdar Jang aided by the Marathas, urged the Abdali Shah again to invade India to put down their enemy Safdar Jang and his usurping Maratha auxiliaries. In response to this invitation Ahmad Shah left Kabul in December 1751 and marched without opposition right up to the vicinity of Lahore. Mir Mannu continued sending urgent appeals both to the Emperor and to the Wazir for help. He resisted the Abdali Shah as long as possible, but finding himself worsted in an encounter near Lahore on 15th March 1752, he went to the Shah and in a personal visit effected an agreement to deliver up the two Subahs of Lahore and Multan to him (23rd March 1752).