He was appointed by the Mughal emperor
Farrukhsiyar.
Campaign against Banda Singh Bahadur To subdue the uprising led by
Banda Singh Bahadur, on 22 February 1713,
Farrukhsiyar made key appointments. He appointed Abdus Samad Khan as the new Governor of
Lahore, and at the same time, his son
Zakariya Khan was assigned as the
Faujdar of
Jammu. Before setting off, the Emperor ordered Abd‑us‑Samad Khan to either drive
Banda Singh Bahadur out of
Sadhaura or, if possible, wipe him out completely. When Abd‑us‑Samad Khan reached
Sadhaura, he found that the siege initiated by Zain‑ud‑din Ahmed had hardly progressed.
Banda Singh Bahadur had taken control of the fort at
Lohgarh, while his men defended Sadhaura. Realizing that he could not attack both places at once, Abd‑us‑Samad Khan decided it would be best to tackle them one after the other. Orders were issued to Abd al-Samad Khan and his son
Zakariya Khan to capture the Sikh leader Banda Singh alive. Despite commanding about 14,000 fighters, Banda Singh found himself cornered as the Mughal forces converged from every direction. Unable to reach the large, well-stocked fort at
Gurdaspur, built to house up to 60,000 soldiers, he moved westward to take refuge in a fortified mansion at the village of
Gurdas Nangal, about six kilometers from Gurdaspur, where he sheltered roughly 1,250 men and a few horses. The Mughal army quickly encircled this compound by digging deep trenches, setting up artillery batteries, and blocking any possible escape or resupply routes. Over the next eight grueling months—spanning a sweltering summer, a heavy monsoon, and a cold early winter—the defenders endured constant skirmishes and suffered severe shortages of food and fodder. Small groups of Sikhs repeatedly ventured out to gather what little supplies they could, but the siege gradually tightened until starvation and desperation took their toll. Finally, on 7 December 1715, the Mughal forces breached the defenses, ruthlessly killed many of the near-starved Sikhs, and captured Banda Singh along with his remaining 740 followers. On 22 December 1715, news of the capture of
Banda Singh Bahadur was sent by Abd al-Samad Khan to Emperor
Farrukh Siyar in Delhi. After being taken from
Gurdas Nangal,
Banda Singh Bahadur and the other Sikh prisoners were brought to Lahore. Even though he had been captured and jailed, his enemies still feared his supposed supernatural powers so much that they were constantly worried he might escape while on the road. In response, one Mughal officer volunteered to be tied to the same elephant, declaring, "If he tries to escape, I will plunge my dagger into him." Banda Singh was heavily restrained: his feet were bound, a ring was placed around his neck, and a chain was fastened around his back—all connected by thick, wooden beams. He was then thrown into an iron cage and chained to it in four places. Additionally, two Mughal officers were tied on each side of him on the same elephant to guard against any escape attempt. The Mughal officers and their senior men, dressed in tattered uniforms and riding on old, exhausted donkeys with paper hats, led the procession. They were followed by camels, drummers, and trumpeters, along with Mughals carrying the severed heads of Sikhs on spears. Behind the prisoners marched the royal Amirs, Faujdars, and Hindu rulers at the head of their troops. For miles along the Shahi Sarak, or Royal Road, eager spectators lined both sides. The markets, streets, and rooftops of nearby houses offered a grisly view of what appeared to be a surging sea of human heads. With this dreadful procession of half-dead prisoners and bleeding heads, Abd‑us‑Samad Khan entered the city of Lahore. Later, Abd‑us‑Samad Khan asked for permission to travel to
Delhi in person with his prized prisoner, but he was ordered to remain and manage his province. Instead,
Banda Singh Bahadur and the other Sikh prisoners were placed in the charge of his son,
Zakariya Khan, and Qamr‑ud‑Din Khan. After being captured at
Gurdas Nangal,
Banda Singh Bahadur and his fellow Sikh prisoners were escorted to
Lahore. Despite his imprisonment, his foes remained terrified of his alleged mystical abilities, constantly fearing that he might escape along the way. In fact, one Mughal officer boldly offered to be fastened to the same elephant, proclaiming, "If he dares to flee, I'll thrust my dagger into him." Banda Singh was secured with extreme measures: his legs were tied, a ring fastened around his neck, and a chain attached to his back—all connected by thick wooden beams. He was then thrown into an iron cage and locked in place at four points. Moreover, two Mughal officers were tied on each side of him on the same elephant to ensure he could not escape. The procession was led by Mughal officers and senior commanders, who wore ragged uniforms and rode on old, weary donkeys adorned with paper caps. They were followed by camels, drummers, and trumpeters, while additional Mughals carried severed Sikh heads on spears. At the forefront of the crowd marched the royal Amirs, Faujdars, and Hindu rulers leading their own troops. For miles along the Shahi Sarak (Royal Road), curious onlookers lined both sides, and the local markets, streets, and rooftops offered a ghastly spectacle of what seemed to be a relentless tide of human heads. With this horrifying procession of nearly lifeless prisoners and bleeding severed heads, Abd‑us‑Samad Khan entered
Lahore. Later, Abd‑us‑Samad Khan sought permission to personally travel to
Delhi with his prized captive. However, he was instructed to remain in his province and manage its affairs. Consequently,
Banda Singh Bahadur and the other Sikh prisoners were entrusted to the custody of his son,
Zakariya Khan, and Qamr‑ud‑Din Khan.
Abdus Samad Khan and the Imperial Suppression of the Sikhs After capturing
Banda Singh Bahadur, Emperor
Farrukh Siyar rewarded Abdus Samad Khan with high honors. He was granted a mansab of 6,000 and received valuable gifts—including a bedecked polki, elephants, horses, gold ornaments, jewels for the turban, upper garments, a pearl necklace, and several parganas in the
Panjab as
jagir.Following this reward, the Emperor issued a general edict directed at suppressing the Sikh community. The decree mandated that any Sikh encountered was to be immediately arrested and given only two options: convert to Islam or face execution. This order was applied throughout the empire without delay. The provincial governors of
Sirhind,
Lahore, and
Jammu competed in enforcing these harsh measures to gain the Emperor’s favor. Abdus Samad Khan was specifically entrusted with supervising this persecution. Under his direction, local village headmen were required to sign written undertakings ensuring that no Sikh was allowed to live in their area. If any Sikhs were found, they were to be arrested and handed over to the local authorities. In cases where they could not be captured, their presence had to be reported to government officials. Additionally, a system of rewards was established to incentivize the capture of Sikhs. Monetary prizes were offered—for example, Rs. 10 for reporting the presence of a Sikh, Rs. 20 for identifying one, Rs. 40 for aiding in his capture, and Rs. 80 for delivering his head. These measures contributed to the systematic persecution that led to widespread displacement, suffering, and the near-erasure of Sikh presence from the plains of the
Punjab during that period. ==Later life and death==