The Battle of Shujabad took place in February 1780, during the Afghan–Sikh Wars. The Afghans were led by Muzaffar Khan and Timur Shah Durrani, while the Sikhs were led by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and other Sikh chiefs.
Background Early in January 1780, Timur Shah Durrani laid siege to Multan. Though the Sikhs were fewer in number, Timur Shah believed his resources were not enough, and as a result, dispatched a small force to Bahawalpur, while leaving the majority of his force at Multan.
Battle Muzaffar Khan left Bahawalpur and met the Sikh force at Shujabad, where the battle was fought on 8 February 1780. A dust storm raged during the battle, causing low visibility. During the clash, Muzaffar Khan's forces took a Sikh drummer prisoner. Khan spared the drummer on the assurance that he would beat the drum to lure the Sikhs into an ambush. While Sikh forces were drawn to the drumming, Muzaffar Khan arranged his forces into two columns, where one soldier would hold an enemy down so the other could kill him. The Sikhs lost thousands of men to the trap, forcing them to retreat to Lahore. The Sikhs were defeated and suffered between 700 and 2,000 casualties. The Sikh force fled to Lahore and Timur Shah dispatched 20,000 soldiers in pursuit. The force overtook the Sikhs at Hujra Muqim Khan, 40 miles west of Lahore and defeated them.
Aftermath Following this, the Afghans reorganized at Multan and took it in the 1780 Siege of Multan. Muzaffar Khan became governor of Multan following its capture by the Afghans.
See also Siege of Multan (1780) Timur Shah Durrani Indian campaign of Ahmad Shah Durrani
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