Brief History The first British diplomatic contact with Baluchistan was when Britain became engaged in the disastrous FIrst Afghan War in 1839. A precondition for the invasion of Afghanistan was the safe passage of British troops in the lands of the Baluchis. Alexander Burnes arrived in Kalat to negotiate these terms. The Khan (Mehrab) agreed in principal but as long as the British agreed to leave the Khanate after the Afghanistan expedition had been completed and also if the British helped restore Baluchi control over Karachi. The British were reluctant to agree and even put forward the condition that the Baluchi Khan recognise the overlordship of Shah Shujah who they were trying to back in Afghanistan. As the negotiations protracted, British patience finally snapped and an invasion and occupation of Kalat was ordered.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:38:17 +0000
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