Pakistan Sultanate, border of sindh , night of 11th April 1557.
The moon cast a faint glow over the settlent of Jacobabad, where the Mughal banners fluttered in the night breeze. The town, nestled between the Baloch and Sindh regions of the Pakistan Sultanate, was the final outpost before the Mughal forces could march further into the rugged terrain. Tents were spread across the camp, housing 5,000 Mughal soldiers preparing for conquest. In the largest tent, Subedar rank commander, Zahid Khan sitting in cushion with his trusted faujdars, the dim light of a flickering lamp illuminating the battle plans sprawled across the table.
Zahid Khan, being a tall and imposing man looked over the map sitting on cushion. His dark eyes scanned the rugged markings as he addressed his faujdars in calm yet firm voice.
"These mountains are our natural border between the Baloch and Sindh," he said, pointing to the jagged lines on the map. "But here.. this Bola River and its pass, that is the key to entering their lands. If we control this pass, and this fortcity Quetta we control the northwest of Baloch territory. Reinforcents will co, but we must seize control of this region before they arrive. Are we clear so far?"
The faujdars, dressed in their heavy armor, nodded in unison. "Ji hazur," they all replied.
Zahid’s finger traced the map as he continued. "We are currently here. To the west lies Dhadar, then Sibi, before we reach the Bola Pass and secure Machh Stronghold. Our orders are to move swiftly, under the cover of night. We will split our forces."
He tapped a point on the northern side of the map. "I will lead the cavalry to Sibi settlent. Naseem will assist . It’s a flat, open area, and cavalry will be more effective there. The rest of you will divide the infantry. You will target the three villages and the central town near Dhadar, here in the south. Burn them to the ground, and leave nothing behind."
His voice darkened as he tapped the point marked as Dhadar. "Once the villages are done, we will regroup at the river crossing near the Bola Pass. By dawn, we will assault Machh together."
Faujdar Amin Qureshi, a seasoned elder with a weathered face, leaned forward. "But, hazur, gathering supplies, plundering, and taking slaves will slow us down. How can we et at the pass on ti?"
A cruel smirk appeared on Zahid’s face. "There will be no plundering. Kill everyone and burn everything. We need to ensure that no resistance remains to hinder our supply routes. Ti cannot be wasted there."
Faujdar Farhan Sheikh, youngest among all, shifted uneasily. "But, hazur, the soldiers expect their reward for the struggles and sacrifices they make. If they cannot plunder, morale will drop. We need to give them so hope."
Zahid’s eyes glinted with a cold, calculating gaze. "Don’t worry. When we capture Machh, everyone can have all the plunder and slaves at their heart’s content. Machh is a stronghold of the Baloch tribes, united and settled there. There will be far more to reap than the paltry scraps of these outer villages."
The faujdars exchanged glances before nodding in agreent.
Zahid’s tone hardened again as he pointed to a specific spot on the map. "Quetta, over here, is our ultimate prize. If we fail to capture it, all of this will be for nothing. These Baloch tribes are fiercely loyal and will resist to the last man. We must give them no ti to organize."
"Ji hazur," the faujdars repeated in unison, their voices solemn as the weight of the mission pressed down on them.
Faujdar Naseem Hussain, who was closest to Commander Zahid, spoke next. "Hazur, do we have any intelligence on the tribes in this area? Knowing their specialties would help us prepare."
Zahid nodded approvingly. "A good question. The Dhadar region is held by the Marri tribe. They are skilled archers, experts in using the terrain to their advantage. That is why we must strike them at night. The Sibi tribe are known for their raiding parties, but at night, we can catch them off guard. Their strength lies in their mobility, but we will hit them when they’re least prepared."
Zahid paused, his gaze shifting to the artillery stationed outside the tent. "Now, the last matter. We have 60 cannons. How should we divide them?"
Faujdar Farhan thought for a mont before suggesting cautiously, "Hazur, since we’re splitting forces, we could split the artillery as well.. half for each group."
Zahid shook his head. "No, brothers. The terrain in the south is too rough to move artillery effectively. Take 20 with you to Dhadar. That will be enough to subdue the town. The rest will stay with us in Sibi, where we can use it more efficiently on the plains."
The faujdars nodded in agreent, understanding the logic behind Zahid’s decision.
Feeling the strategy was solid, Zahid stood tall and addressed his n with finality. "Let us hope Allah grants us swift victory by dawn. Our Sultanate might be in hard tis, but it is through our hard work and bloodshed that it will thrive."
"Insha’Allah," the faujdars responded, their voices unified as they rose from the cushions.
One by one, the faujdars left the tent, rallying their soldiers and preparing for the night’s mission. As they moved through the camp, the sound of clinking armor and commands of the soldiers filled the air. The Mughal forces marched out in precise columns, following their leaders to change the borders of their sultanate.
Outside at desert, the wind howled fiercely as it carried the faint whispers of a dark on foretelling the impending bloodshed.
******
Traversing through the mix-up of rugged terrain, Commander Zahid Khan led 2,000 cavalry in five columns. The rear followed the 6-pounder light cannons, pulled by horses. As they ca near the settlent, Zahid Khan gestured with his hand, ’Halt!’
He scanned the landscape before him, where faint torchlights flickered like distant stars against the dark night. The settlent lay nestled behind towering stone walls, their width formidable yet not with much height.
Fortunately, watchtowers at the forward outpost, positioned about 200 ters ahead of walls, were placed to act as sentries. But they were nothing in face of Zahid’s mighty cannons.
He signalled the gunners to prepare their cannons for the assault. Turning to his subordinate, he ordered, "Naseem, they will most likely try to flee through the western gate. Cover their escape there while I initiate the assault from this side."
Faujdar Naseem nodded, "Will be done, Hazur." He gathered 500 cavalryn to maneuver around the settlent to the rear.".
The gunners pushed the artillery to 800 ters in the faint moonlight, while the rest of the cavalry stood in wait behind. The rest of the cavalry remained poised behind, waiting for the signal to charge.
Commander Zahid sighed, "Such a tragic fate for a town with potential." He turned to the cannons and ordered, "Fire."
With a swift motion, the fuse was lit, and the cannonball erupted with a deafening bang, sending shockwaves through the air.
Unaware of the impending doom, a soldier at the outpost dozed off, fatigue clouding his senses. The thunderous blast jolted him awake, but it was too late for him to react. The cannonball tore through the night sky, crashing into the outpost with catastrophic force. The impact obliterated him, scattering his body into a grueso mosaic of flesh and bone against the brick wall.
As the first shot rumbled through the air, a chorus of cannonfire followed, each blast targeting the front outposts. So cannonballs missed their marks, arcing harmlessly into the night, but many found their targets, splintering the wooden structures and sending debris flying. The walls of the outpost trembled under the relentless assault, cracks spiderwebbed outward like veins across a leaf.
Many missed, but many hit, splintering the outposts into smithereens. The soldiers at the thin walls were alard as they soon filled the walls. But that was all they could do since the Mughals stayed behind the cannons of superior range
"Take it to 700 ters," Zahid ordered, confidence lacing his tone.
The gunners advanced fearlessly, knowing the settlent lacked any cannons to counter their fire.
"Five cannons target the gate; the rest will fire at the soldiers on the wall. Aim at will."
The gunners grinned as they took their positions. With a few well-aid shots, the gate was blasted into smithereens. They then shifted their focus to the walls. So cannonballs flew past, while others struck true, causing cracks to splinter the stone and sending many soldiers standing atop into a bloody mist. Several buildings within the settlent also sustained damage, succumbing to the relentless bombardnt, and the muffled shouts of n and cries of the injured echoed from within.
After an hour of continuous fire, the bombardnt finally ceased. The walls were in bad shape with many places visibly broken.
A subordinate atop horse beside Zahid, inquired him, "Hazur, the gate is open. Shall we charge?"
Zahid smiled and replied, "Let’s wait. They will co out."
His prophecy ca true as the brave soldiers of Sibi surged forth, their war cries piercing the night air. As they crossed the midway point, Zahid ordered, "Now fire!"
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