having heard of Afghan reinforcements finally arriving and reinforcing Khulm, sent one of his own envoys alongside a son of Ishan Khawaja Shuja al-Din of Mazar-I-Sharif, and pleaded for mercy to Afzal Khan. After a while, Murad Beg himself went to Balkh and reaffirmed his loyalty to Dost Mohammad Khan. When Dost Mohammad Khan heard of what occurred, the Qataghan envoys were allowed to leave for Turkestan. Despite these diplomatic reconciliations, both sides began preparing throughout the winter of 1858/1859, believing that an inevitable military conflict would occur. Murad Beg continued seeking support from other local rulers in the region, while Dost Mohammad Khan's advisors spread false reports of a Persian army marching on Maimana, thus allowing the Afghans to accuse Murad Beg of sending envoys to secure the support of Persia against Afzal Khan. Alongside these machinations against each other, Nasrullah Khan aided Hukumat Khan by sending funds and toward other rulers of the Chahar Wilayat in hopes of successfully causing an insurrection against Afghan rule while Afzal Khan was distracted in conflict with Qunduz. In early February 1859, the movement of Afghan troops in Khulm further raised alarm and worried Murad Beg, who then went in person to Nasrullah Khan of Bukhara to seek audience and request help against the Afghans. However, Nasrullah Khan still believed that Dost Mohammad Khan could be persuaded into an Anti-Europeans alliance and refused audience with Murad Beg. This refusal by Nasrullah Khan thus put him in a de-facto state of open rebellion, as his "visit" to Bukhara was now seen as a plea for help. Murad Beg returned to Qunduz and faced an Ultimatum sent by Afzal Khan, in which, demanded the districts of Dahan-I-Ghuri, Baghlan, and Ishkamish. This was essentially the entire southern realm of Qataghan, and one of the most fertile and populous regions of the state. As a result, Murad Beg rejected the Ultimatum. Murad Beg's hopes of raising a rebellion in the Chahar Wilayat as well, amounted to nothing. As Hakim Khan of Sheberghan, who had been in exile in Maimana since 1856, finally drew peace with Afzal Khan, allowing him to return to Sheberghan, and on 26 April 1859, Hakim Khan left Maimana and arrived at Takhatapul, the military capital of Afghan Turkestan. Hakim Khan tendered his submission and recognized Afzal Khan and Dost Mohammad Khan as the paramount's over Turkestan. Hakim Khan gifted Afzal Khan horses,