Famine in Kashmir In 1833, Kashmir was visited by so severe a famine that thousands fled from that country in different directions, and many died from starvation and hunger. Large firms had become bankrupt. This, combined with great drought, completed the ruin of the people. The streets of Lahore and Amritsar swarmed with hands of starving Kashmiris, who went about the streets and lanes crying for bread. The Maharaja ordered the depository of corn at Amritsar to be opened for the benefit of Kashmiris, and various temples and mosques distributed flour to them daily.

Muhammad Khan and Peshawar The unsettled state of Peshawar, and its probability of becoming a tributary to Kabul under Dost Muhammad Khan, now induced Ranjit Singh to make an endeavour to annex that province permanently to his dominions. The Sikh troops marched, and Sultan Muhammad Khan made immediate preparations for flight. The Afghans, who had concealed themselves among the trees, were soon cleared out, and the Sikhs, now completed the circuit of the city, entered and occupied the Bala Hissar on May 6th, 1834, and thus made themselves masters of an important and productive country. The occupation of Peshawar by the Sikhs troubled Dost Muhammad Khan, and he made preparations for war against the Sikhs. He claimed that it was his duty to destroy the infidel invaders of Peshawar, and the Afghans marched forward. However, the great superiority of the Sikh army was too much, and the Afghans retreated back to Kabul. On the retreat of Muhammad Khan, the Maharaja ordered fortresses to be built to protect the country from future invasions.

Occupation of Jamrud In the winter of 1837, the Sikhs, under their veteran General Hari Singh, Nalwa, occupied the fortress of Jamrud at Khaibar. The Kabul King, Muhammad Khan, was very unhappy, and saw that the measure adopted by the Sikhs was a prelude to further aggressions. He collected an army, and made an attempt to carry the castle by assault. The weak fort was destroyed in three days, and the Afghans started congratulating themselves on the success. However, Hari Singh suddenly appeared and made an attack on them, which resulted in the Afghan retreat on April 30th, 1837. The assault was furious, and the Sikhs drove the Afghans from their positions with much slaughter. However, during the battle, Hari Singh received a mortal wound. Hari Singh was an intrepid soldier and dashing leader, and was a deadly foe of the Afghans, whom he held in great contempt, looking upon them as cowards. Such was the dread in which the Afghans held him, that to this day the name Haria is repeated by mothers in Peshawar and its neighbourhood in frightening their little children.

Expulsion of Muhammad from Kabul The British government made plans to remove Dost Muhammad from Kabul, and invited the Maharaja to aid with his troops. A contingent was raised by Shah Shuja, united with the British force, a Bengal army of 9,500 to march for Afghanistan. A Sikh contingent about 6,000 strong, placed under the orders of Lieutenant Colonel Wade, marched from Lahore in January, 1839. On April 25th, 1839 Kandahar was occupied, and Shah Shuja was installed as king of Afghanistan on May 8th, 1839. Ranjit Singh had now apparently reached the summit of his greatness, but admidst all his glories and thirst for further power, his dissolution was approaching, as his health continued to decline.