Kandahar Newsletters – 1889 – 1904

Source:

Kandahar Newsletters
volume IV
by director of Archives Dept.
Govt. of Baluchistan Quetta 1990
dian of Syed Abid Hosain
British News Writer
(Volumes I and II were reviewed and nothing related to Hindus were found)

WE 5/11/1889
“Sada Nand, the Kandahar pension fund sarishtadar, in accordance with instructions received from Kabul, has ordered all the maliks of the Kandahar district who are in receipt of a government allowance to personally attend the office, where cheques will be issued to them for the amount of their allowance on the hakims of their respective districts.”

WE 5/25/1889
“The Governor has ordered police to bring before him all strangers and new arrivals who may have come from Quetta and India. All travelers who have no particular business here are turned out and send towards Questta. This order was not at first extended to the Hindu travelers, but now the Hindu fakirs coming from India as well as the Shikarpuri Hindus who come to visit their relatives at Kandahar are treated in the same way as ordinary travelers … We are told this measure has been adopted to guard against the admittance of spies from the Afghan refugees.”

WE 6/22/1889
“In accordance with Amir’s order, the Governor has dismissed and imprisoned Diwan Sada Nand, the sarishtadar of Kandahar Accounting office. Sada Nand’s dealing with the Kabul people during the tenure of office was not satisfactory. No district charges such as bribery or any other offense that would involve dismissal and imprisoned has been brought against him but people say that he and his father and brother possess three lakhs rupees between them.”

WE 8/17/1889
Sada Nand submitted a complaint against Governor to Amir.  His release from prison might be related to that.   Amir has not accepted his accusation against the Governor.

WE 7/12/1889
“The Governor is much inconvenienced by the enmity of the head accountant of Kandahar, Sada Nand and his brother Diwan Naranjan accountant at Kabul, for Sada Nand induces his brother to call every official to Kabul by the order of Sardar Habibula Khan and Naranjan delays the examining of their accounts. For this reason inconvenience is felt in collecting the revenue in Kandahar.”

WE 5/24/1903
“While passing the Shikarpur Bazar, I noticed many donkey loads and sheep hides full of opium being brought by the cultivators and sold to Sindhi Banias. The Banias are not allowed to sell opium except the license holder. ”
Note: Shikarpur Bazar (Kandhahar) was populated with hindus until mid 1980’s.

WE 05/31/1903
Tala Nunda the Hindu Mustaufi of Kandahar gave a garden party to all the officials in Izat Bagh.

WE 06/24/1903
‘One Hindu and two Kabuli Afghans were arrested. The search produced some papers hidden in their kullahs and 300 rupees. Rumor is that they are Ayub Khan’s agents. ” … Mirza Faiz Muhammad who involuntarily said that this DharamSal was very injuries to Govt.” , the city qazi gave an order condemning the Mirza to be a Kafar for insulting Khirka Sharif.”

WE 12/16/1903
“Two large caravans belonging to Kandahar Hindu merchants have brought velvet and other articles from Russian territory via Maimana.”

WE 03/08/1904
“A Hindu named Kala Mal a Punjabi arrived here yesterday and expressed a desire to be converted to Islam, he was taken today to the Juma Mosque and the Governor gave him the usual Khilaf.”

WE 06/30/1904
“The Amir has ordered that Lala Nand Lal, Mustaufi should be tried according to Muhamamaden law for having abused a Muslim shop keeper. His highness has ordered the Qazzi to make a careful inquire and if the complaint is found to be true then the Mustaufi should be stoned to death.
A Hindu who had married a Muslim lady was converted to Islam and the usual Khillafs were given to him.
Lala Nand Lal has given valuable presents to the Qazi and the Governor who are now trying to decide the case in his favor. “