As part of the terms of the Treaty of Lahore signed after the defeat of the Sikhs in the First Sikh War, Hazara and Kashmir were to be transferred to Raja Gulab Singh; Hazara, however, proved an intractable charge and was returned to the Lahore government by Gulab Singh in January 1847, in exchange for Jammu. Abbott was appointed assistant to Chattar Singh Attariwalla to quell unrest and undertake a survey of revenues. Abbott succeeded in this by learning the language, culture and religion of the local people and promoting their social and economic interests. He made himself popular with Pashtun elders by permitting the call to prayer, which had been banned by the Sikhs.