In January 1895 the reigning Mehtar of Chitral was murdered by his
brother, whom, in breach of a time-honoured custom of Chitralis, he had
neglected to murder or exile upon his own accession. Umra Khan, the
chief of Jandol, who had long had designs upon Chitral, made this
occasion a pretext for invading the territory off which he had been
repeatedly warned by the British Government as the Suzerain of Chitral,
and laid siege to Kila Drosh. On February 1st, Dr Robertson, the
British resident at Mastuj, arrived in Chitral, and at once ordered Umra
Khan to retire. Umra Khan, however, who had in the meantime taken Kila
Drosh, retorted by calling upon Dr Robertson to retire, and to
recognise Sher Afzul as Mehtar. This, of course, the British resident
refused to do; and called a _durbar_, at which Soojah-ul-Moolk was
declared Mehtar of Chitral, on 1st of March. The position of the
British resident and his small party, which by way of precaution had
occupied the fort some time previous, now became very serious. On 2nd
of March, Sher Afzul had advanced upon them, and Chitral was very soon
invested on all sides, and indeed, as will be seen, the actual siege
commenced on 3rd of March.