meeting with Trevor and Macnaghten. The conference was kept secret that even Elphinstone nor Shelton knew about the matter. Saddiq informed Macnaghten that Akbar Khan had changed his mind. Akbar Khan and his father-in-law, Muhammad Shah Khan, chief of the Babakr Khel of Laghman, were prepared to allow Shah Shuja to remain as king on the condition that Akbar Khan be made Wazir. In return, the British garrison would be allowed to remain in Kabul until the spring thaw. The British government would then be able to save face and withdraw claiming they had solved the Afghanistan "problem". Akbar Khan's change of heart however, came at a cost. Macnaghten would have to make an immediate cash withdrawal of 30 lakhs (three million), and guarantee Akbar Khan an annual pension of four lakh rupees for the rest of his life. These terms were similar to the ones imposed by Nawab Zaman Khan and held the prospect of uniting the two rival Muhammadzai factions and Nawab Jabbar Khan's Ghilzais. This deal also had another term where in the morning of the following day, the British would signal their consent to the deal and join forces with Akbar Khan to attack Qal'a-yi Mahmud Khan, the stronghold of Aminullah Khan Logari, and the Bayat Qizilbash. Akbar Khan even offered the envoy the head of Aminullah Khan in return for a suitable reward. Akbar Khan's plot was a "superb piece of cunning," according to Jonathan Lee. As it had Macnaghten forced to choose between two decisions that would show he would happily betray anybody for his own political gain. The only way out was to reject Akbar Khan's deal, call off his own scheme to attack Akbar Khan, and publicly reaffirm to all parties that they were intent on upholding the 11 December agreement. Instead, Macnaghten fell into Akbar Khan's ploy and accepted Akbar Khan's proposal. Macnaghten further blundered by agreeing to sign a document brought to him by Sardar Saddiq Khan, confirming Akbar Khan's proposal. Akbar Khan now had direct proof that Macnaghten was ready to betray one party of the resistance for another. When Akbar Khan showed his fellow resistance leaders the signature, there was a response that "their anger knew no bounds", according to Jonathan Lee. It was in particular a blow to Nawab Zaman Khan, who had done everything to try and reach an honorable compromise and restrain Akbar Khan from