relieved Conolly of large sums of money, also forcing him to sign credit notes on behalf of the Calcutta treasury. Mir Hajji used this to pay his troops and bribe his rivals. Aminullah Khan attempted to regain the loyalty of Mir Hajji by granting him the right to taxes on houses in the old city. At the end of April 1842, Aminullah Khan and Nawab Zaman clashed again, on this occasion to control the Kabul customs house. In an attempt to restore order, Nawab Zaman proposed that these revenues would be given to Mir Hajji instead to pay for the war against the British. Aminullah Khan's response was to arrest Mir Hajji, drawing the Kohistani ghazis into conflict. Mir Hajji was released after he pledged loyalty to Shah Fath Jang, but he renounced his oath when he was released and joined forces with Nawab Zaman Khan. Aminullah Khan sought refuge in the Bala Hissar following the formation of this powerful alliance, to which Shah Fath Jang allowed him sanctuary, but did not allow his 4,000 troops to enter the Bala Hissar, forcing his troops to return home as a result. Mir Hajji and Nawab Zaman besieged the Bala Hissar, however, Akbar Khan and Muhammad Shah arrived in Kabul with a large force of Shinwaris and Babakr Khel Ghilzais. Nawab Zaman Khan had no choice but to relinquish command of the Muhammadzai forces back to Akbar Khan. Akbar Khan dispatched an intercepted message from India ordering Pollock to withdraw to Aminullah Khan Logari, which broke morale that any British force would come to the rescue of Shah Fath Jang, leading to most the defenders of the Bala Hissar surrendering. Shah Fath Jang refused to capitulate, believing he would be put to death if he did. As a result, Akbar Khan sent forces to occupy the Sher Darwaza heights, then mounting a British field gun on the Bala Burj, the tower that dominated the upper Bala Hissar, and opened fire upon the defenders. On 7 May, Darwish Muhammad Khan, commander of Shah Fath Jang's Ghulams, opened the citadel gates of the Bala Hissar to Muhammad Shah while Akbar Khan and his retinue stood guard to prevent Nawab Zaman or any other of his rivals to enter the citadel. Fath Jang was confined to a small room in the upper Bala Hissar, and over the ensuing weeks, Akbar Khan seized what wealth remained