HISTORY OF MIANWALI

Mianwali is the capital city of Mianwali District in the north-west of Punjab province, Pakistan. The city lies between Latitude (DMS): 32° 34' 60 N and Longitude (DMS): 71° 32' 60 E (Degrees, minutes and seconds).
In November 1901, North West Frontier Province was carved out of Punjab and present day towns of Mianwali, Isa Khel, Kalabagh, and Kundian were separated from Bannu District (NWFP)and hence a new district was made with the headquarters in Mianwali city and placed in Punjab.
The municipal committee was made in December 1903 and remained operational since then until the introduction of Tehsil Municipal Administration system.
Famous for its brave and strong willed people that constitute a greater part in Pakistan Army. The Niazis, a Pathan tribe (famous for bravery and vendettas) currently control the politics and other issues of governance of the area. 70% of the population is of Afghan origin.
Infrastructure
Mianwali city is the economic and commercial hub of the district. There are several educational institutions up to post-graduate level, affiliated with the University of Punjab. The city has an airport built near the old World War II aerodrome. This is presently called PAF Base Mianwali. It is one of the major operational bases of the country.The No.1 Fighter Conversion Unit of the PAF is stationed here. There is also a railway connecting the city with Kundian and Multan to the south and Attock and Rawalpindi to the north. The railways were a part of the now obsolete "North Western Railways" (NWR), which was operational during British colonial rule in the subcontinent. After the partition of India in 1947 it was renamed "Pakistan Western Railways" and was again renamed after December 1971 as Pakistan Railways.
The main highways connecting the city to the other parts of the country include the Sargodha-Lahore road, Multan road, Talagang-Rawalpindi road, and the Kalabagh- Bannu road. The Balkassar interchange connects Mianwali to the M2 motorway. The Thal canal traverses the city and makes the surroundings a picturesque place.
The city is famous for the shrine of Syed Mian Sultan Zakria Gilani whose father Syed Mian Ali founded Mianwali village, in the 16th century. The son is said to have exhibited supernatural powers from an early age and many miraculous deeds are ascribed to him. His name is frequently taken as an oath , and his shrine is not uncommonly the scene of settlement of civil disputes, in which one party has bound himself to abide by any statement made at shrine by the other party.The Mianas of Mianwali are descendants of this holy man.
The city has its own FM Radio Station, a municipal library, a sports complex, a hockey stadium (the Tariq Niazi Hockey Stadium), and a couple of parks for recreation.
Area of Mianwali City is about 25 square kilometers.
There is a pre-partition central jail which is notorious for imprisoning many state rebels and politicians such as Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. one third area of Mianwali district is comprises of thal desert. the biggest towns of arraid thal are mari shah sakhira and noor pur thal.


History
Of the early history of the district nothing can be stated with any certainty, beyond the fact that its inhabitants were Hindus, and that before the Christian era the country formed an integral portion of the Graeco-Bactrian Empire of Kabul and the Punjab
During British rule, the Indian empire was subdivided into province, divisions and districts, after the independence of Pakistan divisions remained the third tier of government until 2000. The British had made the towns of Mianwali and Isa Khel tehsil headquarters of Bannu District then part of Dera Ismail Khan Division of Punjab province. The population of Mianwali according to the 1901 census of India was 3,591
In November 1901, the North-West Frontier Province was carved out of Punjab and the towns of Mianwali, Isa Khel, Kalabagh, and Kundian were separated from Bannu District (Bannu became part of NWFP) and hence a new district was made with the headquarters in Mianwali city and placed in Punjab. The district became a part of Rawalpindi Division. There were four tehsils namely Mianwali, Isa Khel, Bhakkar, and Layyah. Layyah was included in the Muzaffargarh District in 1909. The district became a part of Sargodha Division in 1961. Bhakkar tehsil was carved out of Mianwali district and was made a separate district inside Sargodha division w.e.f. 01-07-1982.
Tribes and Castes
Although Islam has been the dominant religion here since the days of Mehmud Ghaznavi, Hinduism remained the ancient religion and the dominant force before the arrival of Islam and its culture and caste system left indelible marks on the local customs. Thus ethnic, tribal and caste-based divisions are evident in the region and people are known by their tribal affiliations which when over expressed can be counter productive. However with increasing literacy and media, trends are changing and people are deviating from the orthodoxy.
The main castes and tribes listed in Mianwali are:
" Niazi
" Syed
" Arain
" Awan
" Baloch
" Jat
" Khokhar
" Malik
" Rajput
Niazis have a history of almost 250 years in this region.They came from the plains of Lakki Marwat, Tank and Bannu. However prior to their immigrations to this region they were concentrated in the Marwat plains shared by both Marwats and Niazis. Marwat and Niazis, both are Lodi Pathans and thus share common ancestry. There exist the accounts that Marwats and Niazis battled near the banks of Kurram River and Niazis had to leave the land and take refuge at "Tarna" (nowadays called Isakhel). However Niazis were able to establish themselves at trans-indus village of Isakhel which at that time was inhabited by the pastoral Jats and Awans. Then Niazi immigrations continued across the Indus into the Mianwali area where they established and became the main dominating tribe. Niazis are brave and strong-willed people and they prefer to serve in Police and Armed Forces.
Syeds trace their origin as the descendants of Prophet Muhammad from his daughter Fatimah. In Mianwali this tribe is represented by the Syed Mianas who are the descendants of Mian Ali (Father of Sultan Zakriya). Other Syed groups are identified as Bukharis, kazmis, Gillanis and Naqvis. The latter mainly adhere to the Shiite branch of Islam. A Syed in Mianwali is respected one, no matter whatever the sect he belongs to.
Awans living in Mianwali are believed to be the sole occupants of "Mianwali Salt Range" for about 600 years. Years before the Niazi immigrations into the plains some Awan tribes settled in the plains and became the nomads. They however established their strongholds at Kalabagh and Jalalpur across the Indus, but mainly they remained dormant in the plains and they were outnumbered when Niazis arrived in this region. However the claim that Niazis drove them to the mountains remains disputed because had that been the fact, many Awans would not have been there in the trans-indus towns of Kalabagh and Jalalpur as a dominant tribe even after the Niazi arrival in Mianwali and as a matter of fact there was no "Awan Rule" prior to Niazi immigrations. In fact Ghakkars controlled this entire region and they were defeated by the Ahmed Shah Abdali's forces which paved the way for the Niazi expansion. Awans claim themselves to be of Arab ( as descendants of a son of fourth right guided caliph Ali ) origin which is disputed by many British researchers and anthropologists. Awans are considered martial race since the days of British colonial rule and form a bulk of Pakistan Army.
Jats have been divided into many subcastes and very few identify themselves as jats. They along with Awans led a nomadic and pastoral life in the plains. Many Hindus and some Sikhs were of Jat origin, migrated to India after partition.
Renowned men of letter
Dr. Noor Muhammad Khan Niazi, Hakim Abdur Rahim Khan Niazi, Dr. Aslam Khan Niazi, Dr. Afzal Khan Niazi, Brig. Sher Afgan Niazi, Tariq Masood Khan Niazi, Muhammad Ishfaq chughtai, Dr Ajmal Niazi, Mansoor Afaq, Sayed Naseer-Ud-Din Shah, Muhammad Feroz shah, Munawar Ali Malik, Gulzar bokhari, Munawar Ali Malik, Khawar Naqvi, Asad Mustafa, Mazhar Niazi, Rana Iftikhar Khalid, Sarwar Khan Niazi, Major (R) Rafi Ullah Khan
Pride of Mianwali
Imran Khan Niazi (born November 25, 1952) is a Pakistani cricketer and politician. Khan played for the Pakistani cricket team from 1971 to 1992, and led them as captain to his country's first and only World Cup victory in 1992. With a record of 3807 runs and 362 wickets in Test cricket, Khan is known as one of the finest all-rounders in the modern history of the game. In April 1996, he founded the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice), a small and marginal political party, of which he is chairman as well as sole ever-elected member of Parliament. He represented Mianwali as a member of the National Assembly from October 2002 to October 2007