Vehari: History
Vehari District was created in 1976 when it was separated from Multan District.
During the era of the Indus Valley civilization, the area now comprising Vehari District was a fertile agricultural region with pockets of forest. In the Vedic period, the region saw the settlement and influence of various Indo-Aryan peoples, including the Abhiras, Kambojas, Daradas, Kaikayas, Madras, Pauravas, Yaudheyas, Malavas, and Kurus.
Following the conquest of the Achaemenid Empire in 331 BCE, Alexander the Great marched into the present-day Punjab region with an army of 50,000. Subsequently, the area was ruled by a succession of empires and kingdoms, including the Maurya Empire, Indo-Greek Kingdom, Kushan Empire, Gupta Empire, White Huns, Kushano-Hephthalites, and the Turk Shahi and Hindu Shahi dynasties.
In 997 CE, Mahmud of Ghazni assumed control of the Ghaznavid dynasty, established by his father, Sebuktegin. In 1005 CE, Mahmud conquered the Hindu Shahi rulers in Kabul and subsequently extended his rule to the Punjab region. The area later came under the control of the Delhi Sultanate and then the Mughal Empire.
After the decline of the Mughals, the region was occupied by the Sikh Empire. Under the British Raj, Vehari saw an increase in population and agricultural development.
The modern development of Vehari District began with the construction of the Pakpattan Canal from the Sulemanki Headworks on the Sutlej River and the initiation of the Nili Bar Colony project in 1925—named for the bluish tint of the Sutlej's waters. Historically, habitation was mainly along the riverbanks, where seasonal floods enabled limited agriculture. The interior regions were mostly sandy wasteland used for grazing by nomadic herders.
During the reign of Akbar, the riparian tract in the area formed the state of Fatehpur, ruled by Fateh Khan of the Joya family, who founded the town of Fatehpur—still extant approximately 15 km south of Mailsi. This is considered the oldest town in the Mailsi subdivision and retains some archaeological significance.
After the Partition of India in 1947, the Hindu and Sikh minorities migrated to India, while Muslim refugees from India settled in Vehari District.
Prominent castes in the district include Rao Rajput, Jatt, Dhudhi Rajput, Joyia Rajput, Sheikh, Bhatti Rajput, Baloch, Khokhar, Daha, Gujjar, Aheer, Arain, Sial, Awan, and Langrial.