Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c15.s2.17

v1.c15.s2.17

While the running sore of scattered Sikh risings was thus ceaselessly draining the lifeblood of the Panjāb Government, the province was again assailed by the Abdāli. The annual tribute for the "four mahals" promised by the treaty of 1750 had not been paid even in part. Abdali wrote to Muin from the frontier saying, "This breach of treaty has made me come. Send me 24 lakhs of Rupees for the three years past and then I shall go away." Muin replied that Nāsir Khan, who had administered the four mahals during the first two years, had run away with all the revenue collected during that time, and that he himself could pay the tribute for the only year that he had held that tract. The Abdali was not to be thus put off. In December 1751, he made his third invasion, with a much larger army than ever before. When he arrived on the bank of the Indus, Muin sent him 9 *lakhs* as the revenue of the four *mahals*. Abdali took the money, but continued his invasion. Muin sent his entire family to the Jammu hills for safety. The richer citizens of Lāhor fled in alarm to Delhi and other places. [*TAh.* 30.]