The People

Miana family had a greater impact for being one of the first inhabitants which came from Baghdad, Iraq and settled in Mianwali. So they preached Islam and spread awareness therein. Mianwali name is derived from Sufi saint Mian Ali's name (ref. ‘Maratib-e-Sultani’). Mian Ali, Mianwali was a known settlement and an agricultural region having forests during the Indus Valley Civilization. Then, later on, Vedic Civilization took place. In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sabuktigin. In 1005, he conquered the Shahis in Kabul, followed by the conquests of Punjab region. The Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal Empire ruled the region. The population of the Punjab region became majority Muslim, following the conquests by various Muslim dynasties from Central Asia.

The real historical representation of Mianwali Region is older than 900 AD but the true accuracy is traced to the arrival of Qutb Shah in 1090 AD in this region who, in later years of his conquest, allowed his sons to settle and further rule the region. Their lineage still exists till date in Mianwali District as well as in Pakistan and are known as Awan Tribe. Historically, all major rulers of South Asia governed this area in their turn. Mughal emperor Babur mentioned Isa Khel while he was fighting against the Malik Awans and Niazi Pakhtuns as part of his campaign to conquer the Punjab during the 1520s (ref. ‘Baburnama’). Prior to the invasion of Nadir Shah in 1738, there is little to relate concerning the history of the northern part of the district. The upper half of the district was ruled by the Gakhars, who became feudatories of the Mughal Empire, of which the district continued to form a part until the invasion of Nadir Shah. In 1738 a portion of his army entered Chashma, and by its atrocities so cowed the Bannuchis and Marwats that a heavy tribute was raised from them. Another portion of the army crossed the Darra Pezu and worked its way down to Dera Ismail Khan. Contingents raised from the neighborhoods of Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan marched under Nadir Shah's banner to the sack of Delhi.

In 1739, the area west of the Indus was surrendered by the Emperor of Delhi to Nadir Shah, and passed after his death to Ahmad Shah Abdali. The primary historical representation of this region dates back to Alexander the Great where his conquest brought him during his journey from the Mianwali District and apart from his conquest adds various other conquest to the stream. In 1748, a Durrani army under one of Ahmad Shah's Generals crossed the Indus at Kalabagh, and drove out the Gakhars, who still ruled in the Cis-Indus tracts of the district, owing nominal allegiance to the Emperor at Delhi. Their stronghold, Muazzam Nagar, was razed to the ground, and with their expulsion was swept away the last vestige of authority of the Mughal Emperor in these parts. During British Raj, Mianwali District was also among the states of British Punjab where regional offices of East India Company were in position until winter of 1883 when regional office of East India Company in Mianwali was shut down due to civil unrest and hostile conditions.