[9] However, Dewan Mokham Chand offered the Rajauri raja a large jagir if he could find a path through the range that would allow the Sikhs to reach the valley of Kashmir at the same time as the Afghan troops and was able to have a small body of troops under Jodh Singh Kalsia and Nihal Singh Attari present at the captures of Hari Parbat and Shergarh.

[9] Shuja Shah Durrani chose to be escorted by Dewan Mokham Chand Kochhar to Lahore, the capital of the Sikh Empire, out of fear of becoming a prisoner at Kabul.

[10] Hari Singh Nalwa arrived with Dewan Devi Das and a detachment of cavalry to support the garrison at an unknown date.

On 12 July 1812, the Afghans' supplies were exhausted and Dewan Mokham Chand marched 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Attock to Haidaru, on the banks of the Indus River, to offer battle.

[10] The Afghans rallied under Dost Mohammad Khan, and according to Griffin, led a "brilliant" cavalry charge which threw one wing of the Sikh army into disarray and captured some artillery.