backs to the future, 1929–33Thousands of Waziris answered the call and it was these tribesmen, tech-
nically citizens of India, who tipped the military balance in Nadir Khan’s
favour. In late September Shah Wali Khan marched over the Shutur Gardan
pass, skirted around Gardez and overran Khushi in the upper Logar. Two
days later he defeated the garrison at Tang-i Waghjan and occupied Zargun
Shahr, where he was joined by Muhammad Gul Khan Mohmand. Early on
the morning of 5 October the combined force attacked the strategic post at
the entrance to the Waghjan gorge and the defenders fled in disarray after
a hard-fought battle. The following day Shah Wali Khan occupied Chahar
Asiyab, where he split his force: Muhammad Gul Khan Mohmand was sent
down the Logar to attack Hashmat Khan, while Shah Wali Khan marched
on Chahardeh and Indaki to confront Habib Allah Kalakani’s main army.
On 8 October Shah Wali Khan and Muhammad Gul Khan Mohmand
mounted simultaneous attacks on southeastern and southwestern Kabul.
After a battle that raged all day, Shah Wali Khan secured the heights of
Tepe Zamburak and Koh-i ‘Asmayi. When Shah Wali Khan heard that
reinforcements were on their way, he decided to risk a night assault and
at ten o’clock on the evening of 9 October the Waziris, accompanied by
the beat of drum, swarmed down the Koh-i ‘Asmayi and overwhelmed the
sleeping defenders. Three days later Shah Wali Khan defeated and killed
General Purdil Khan at Shahr Ara.
Habib Allah Kalakani and his closest associates sought refuge behind
the walls of the Dilkusha Palace and despite Nadir Khan’s family being
held prisoner in the palace, he ordered Shah Wali Khan to open fire
with his artillery. In the bombardment that followed the main magazine
exploded and started a serious fire, whereupon Habib Allah Kalakani sent
his personal spiritual adviser under a white flag to negotiate safe passage
in exchange for the release of Nadir Khan’s family. While the negotiations
were in progress, however, Habib Allah and his associates fled to Jabal Saraj,
taking with them the contents of the state treasury. When Shah Wali finally
entered the Dilkusha Palace, he found all but one member of Nadir Khan’s
family had survived (his eldest daughter, Tahira, had died in captivity).
The Waziris and other tribal levies then proceeded to plunder the capital,
stripping the palaces, government buildings and even foreign embassies.
Afghanistan’s first museum, located in the Dilkusha Palace, was looted, as
were the royal archives and library. Shah Wali did manage to save some rare
manuscripts and the inscription from ’Aman Allah Khan’s Independence
Monument, but his intervention nearly cost him his life. When he tried
to stop one Waziri from looting, the looter threw a knife at the sardar, but
the blade failed to penetrate his thick winter postin.