The foundation of Punjab State historically referred to the Sikh Empire or Lahore Darbar because it is linked with unification of Sikh Mislslocated in the territories of Punjab during 1795-1808. This region was unified by Ranjit Singh after annexation of all misls and extended towards north and west. From Peshawar to Tibet and Sindh to Xinjiang, the Empire of Gulab Singh was extended in the light of Treaty of Amritsar of 1809 (Treaty of Friendship & Peace) between East India Company and Maharaja Ranjit Singh. This Treaty was a certificate by British Government of India to Maharaja Ranjit Singh to extend towards north and northern south from Tibet towards Kabul and Gilgit. The Imperial Rule forfeited the claim to the Cis-Sutlej State and Company ensured not to interfere in northern extension of Lahore Darbar. This study is analytical approach towards the exploration of British ambitions in expansion and annexation of Sikh or Punjab Empire. The strategic interests of British Indian Empire as securing the Imperial rule, British Policy towards north against Russia and the contribution or Ranjit Singh are the prime themes of this study. This study also aimed to explore the role of Gulab Singh in annexation of Lahore Darbar to British Imperial rule that how he assisted British in grabbing the Punjab and British assisted him in foundation of Dogra Rule in Kashmir.

1.      Research Associate, Institute of Kashmir Studies, University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Muzaffarabad.

2.      Associate Professor Department of Kashmiryat, Punjab University,Lahore.

3.      Assistant Professor. G.C University, Lahore

4.      Lecturer Govt. Girls Inter College, Dadyal Mirpur, Azad Kashmir

[1]Moon, Blake, D., and Ashton, S. The Transfer of Power, 1942-7: Constitutional Relations Between Britain and India: Volume XI: The Mountbatten Viceroyalty Announcement and Reception of the 3^rd June Plan 31 May- 7 July 1947.

[1]Francklin, William (1805). Military memoirs of Mr. George Thomas, who, by extraordinary talents and enterprise, rose from an obscure situation to the rank of a general, in the service of the native powers in the North-West of India. Reprinted for John Stockdale. p. 107

[1]Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Treaty of Amritsar". Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Apr. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/event/Treaty-of-Amritsar. Accessed 3 April 2022.

[1]Kartar Singh Duggal (2001). Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Last to Lay Arms. Abhinav Publications. p. 55.

[1]Singh, Amarinder (2010). The Last Sunset: The Rise and Fall of the Lahore Durbar. Roli Books. p. 23.

[1]Mark Condos. 2017. The Insecurity State Punjab and the Making Colonial Power in British India. Cambridge University Press. P. 23-45.

[1]Singh, Bawa S. The Jammu Fox: A Biography of Maharaja Gulab Singh of Kashmir, 1792-1857. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1974. pp. 72-142.

[1]Singh, Mohinder.The History of Punjab. London. Penguin Books. pp. 2-202

[1]Cunningham, Joseph Davey. A History of the Sikhs, from the Origin of the Nation to the Battles of the Sutlej. London: J. Murray. 1849. P. 189.

[1]Ibid. Appendix xxv

[1] Edwin Arnold.The Marquis of Dalhousie’s Administration of British India. London. 1862. pp. 1-33

[1] Edwardes Herbert. Memorials of the Life and Letters of Sir Herbert B. Edwardes. Paul, Trench, 1886.pp. 67-68

[1]Lal, Ganeshi Lala. Siyahat-i-Kashmir (Kashmir Nama Or Tarikh-i-Kashmir) Being an Account of a Journey to Kashmir, Issue 4 of Punjab. Government Record Office. Publications.Controller of Print. and Stationery, Punjab. 1955 P. 39

[1] Gordon, JohnH. The Sikhs.William Blackwood and Sons, London. 1904. p. 101

[1] Lal, Kanihya. Tareekh-e-Punjab. Lahore: Majlas-e-Taraqi-e-Adab. 1877. pp. 470-71

[1]Agreement between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Jammu Family 15^th November, 1820.

[1]Prinsep, Henry T. Origin of Sikh Power in the Punjab. India: Calcutta. 1834. P. 125

[1] Ibid P. 485-495

[1]Singh, Bawa S. The Jammu Fox: A Biography of Maharaja Gulab Singh of Kashmir, 1792-1857. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1974.p. 9

[1] Lal, Kanihya. Tareekh-e-Punjab. Lahore: Majlas-e-Taraqi-e-Adab. 1877. pp. 450-75

[1]Kirpa Ram. and Charak, Sukh Dev Singh.  Gulabnama: a history of Maharaja Gulab Singh of Jammu & Kashmir / translated from Persian & annotated by Sukhdev Singh Charak; foreword by Karan Singh. Light & Life Publishers New Delhi, 1977.  P. 219

[1]Lal, Sohan Laal. Umdat-ut-Tawareekh. Vol. 02. Anjman Punjab Publishers. 1845. P. 331

[1]Lal, Sohan Laal, Umdat-ut-Tawareekh. Cit. opt. Vol. 3. pp. 338-39.

[1] Gupta, Hari Ram. The Yousafzai and Sikhs. In Sarkar Commemorative Volume, Ed. H. R. Gupta. India: Hoshyarpur. 1958.P. 148.

[1]Agreement between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Jammu Family 15^th November, 1820.

[1] Cunningham, J. D. Opt. cit. p. 332

[1]Hardinge to Sarah, Feb. 19, 1846, “PPHH”, box No. 1 of unfiled letters.

[1]Hardinge to Emily, March 2^nd, 1846. “PPHH”, Vol. 06.

[1] Baba, Satindar Singh. The Jammu Fox. cit. pp.134-56.

30 Panikkar, Kavalam Madhava.Gulab Singh, 1792-1858: Founder of Kashmir.Gulshan Publishers. 1989. pp. 97-123