The recent victories of the Sikhs emboldened them to infest the very neighbourhood of Lahore. Their violence increased so much that the collection of the revenues stopped at every place. Khwajah Abed Khan in view of these difficulties recruited an army 9 to 10 thousand horse and foot. He also enlisted 4 or 5 hundred Sikhs under Sahib Singh Korbast. Then he wished to punish Bhim Singh and Sarup Singh of village Manka who carried on their predatory excursions mostly in then eighbourhood of Lahore. Afterwards he wanted to turn his attention towards Sardar Charat Singh of Gujranwala who had built a fortress near Sarai Kamboh, where from he started on his plundering raids. “The Khwajab was advised hy his courtiers and friend snot to under take such a vain expedition. But this in experienced fellow insisted on sallying forth. In order to strengthen his position he enrolled 1,000 Sikhs from the Jullundur Doab in addition to the number already retained in his service. He took ten or twelve pieces of cannon, marched from Lahore, collected the revenues of Saharanpur and other places and arrived near Gujranwala. Charat Singh was ready to meet the foe. He had gathered a large army and strongly garrisoned his fort. Khwajah Abed had first entrenched himself at Eminabad, but later on took up a fortified position before Gujranwala. Charat Singh,leaving a strong garrison behind him, at once assumed the aggressive, and an affair of out post sensued, in which the reckless valour of the Sikhs drove the enemy within their entrenchments. In the meanwhile the news of the siege of the fort of Gujranwala had spread far and wide. The Jat Sikh leaders Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Mahaaja Hari Singh Bhangi, Jhanda Singh Bhangi, Gujar Singh, Jai Singh Kanhaya, Lahna Singh and Sobha Singh began to muster strong for the relief of Charat Singh, came to Gujranwala, and encamped fourmiles distant. Khwajah Abed was thus besieged in turn. Even the Sikhs whom he had recently recruited for the occasion, were won over by their co-religionists and decided to desert the Khwajah. A combined night attack on the Khwajah’s troops was proposed by the Sikhs. This news leaked out to Abed Khan, who was so much terrifed tha the took to flight after nightfall without striking a blow. The Sikhs were not unaware of the Governor’s movement. They suddenly fell upon his troops, who fled away in all directions leaving everything in the field. The booty obtained by the victors was considerable, consisting of swivels, pieces of cannon, horses, camels, stores of provisions, vessels and other camp baggage. ‘Khwajah Abed Khan with a few attendants fled in the night to Jaukalian. Then accompanied by goo horse and foot of Chaudhari Mian Khan Chattha and Ismail Khan Kharal, he reached Sharaqpur, where from he was conveyed to Lahore attended by Jamal Arain and other zamindars of the place. This splendid victory added a new lustre to the glory of Charat Singh, who having now leisure and means set to work to rebuild and fortify the place. On the walls of his fort he also mounted a number of guns and stored the magazine with plenty of ammunition.
References :-
- History of the sikhs vol.1 by Hari ram Gupta.
- Ahmad Shah , P. 890
- Ali- ud- din , 123.