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Zai king. As the political encouragement of the East India Company was responsible in producing difficulties for Zaman Shah on his western borders by the Persian kings or his agents; in the like manner the company's agents-open and covered-acted unceasingly to incite the Sikh Maharajas against their Afghan Over-Lord: and these Maharajas were encouraged to desire to overthrow their vassalage for a "shadow independence" of their own. Conditions continued to go on like this, till in the year 1799. A.D hethought of a plan of action in which the spirit of loyalty could be made operative; and thought that of those Sikh Rajas,who were faithful to him, more rel-iance might be made; and the Punjab territories might well be entr-usted to their care; (he resorting to some sort of indirect rule).
With a view to this, Zaman Shah placed Ranjit Singh, a man of experience, and enjoying the confidence of the Afghan king upon the Punjab goverment; so that Ranjit Singh, as the governor of the Punjab - Punjab being still the realm of the Afghans took charge of the a dministration there. This stratagem, at the time was regarded as point of great statemanship; but in reality as events revealed-was the beginning of the decline of the Afghan power and government in the Punjab; because the chief manoeuvering hand-that is to say the hand of the East India Company-who awaited some such chance, so much strengthend Ranjit Singh, to his own advantage and for his own use, of course; that the political events which emerged from that single act upto the advent of the Mohamed Zai rule and even after bear witness to the mistake then made.
NOTE: THE ASCENSION TO THE THRONE BY ZAMAN SHAH.
On Doushambay, 8th of Shawalal Mukaram 1207. A. H. (Moon Calendar) Tamur Shah died in Kabul; and his son Zaman Shah and in Throne Room of Bala Hisar acended the throne of Afghanistan. A poet has versified the date of the occasion:
Two impressions. a beauteous and a sad one-were cast .
The Moon sat and the Sun rose from the horizon .
Due to heavenly constatation; Timour "rose" to go away.
And in his place sat Zaman Shah ( on the kingly throne.)
Roughly two thirds of characters agree with a modern printed edition of the same text. Much of the disagreement is editorial, not misreading. Treat the transcription as a finding aid and read the page image before quoting. How this was measured.