Battle of Attock (1787)

The Battle of Attock was fought on September 1787 between the Sikh Army and Afghan forces led by Bakshi Madad Khan as part of the Afghan–Sikh Wars.

Background

Timur Shah Durrani, the emperor of the Durrani Empire, decided to start his fifth campaign in Punjab. In the previous campaign, which took place in December 1785, Timur entered the lands of India to meet the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II, who had been inviting him.
The Rajput princes had been constantly appealing to Timur for assistance against Mahadji Sindhia. After multiple requests from Maharaja Bhakt Singh, in September 1787 Timur Shah made Bakshi Madad Khan the commander of 15,000 horses, 5,000 troops and 1,700 camel–riders.

The path of the Afghan army was blocked by the Sikhs at Attock. Bakshi decided to not cross the Indus River and marched along the western banks. The Sikhs followed them on the other side of the river and, finding the Sikhs ready to oppose, Bakshi eventually gave up and retreated to Kabul.

During the winter of 1788, Timur Shah invaded India again, leading to the Battle of Sialkot.