Layyah

It lies between 30–45 to 31–24 degree north latitudes and 70–44 to 71–50 degree east longitudes. The area consists of a semi-rectangular block of sandy land between the Indus River and the Chenab River in Sindh Sagar Doab. Layyah is situated at an average elevation of 143 m above sea level. The total area covered by the district is 6,291 km² with a width from east to west of 88 km and a length from north to south of 72 km.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

The town was founded around 1550 by Kamal Khan Mirani, a member of Baloch Mirani dynasty and a direct descendant of Ghazi Khan Mirani, who laid the foundation of Dera Ghazi Khan.{{Cite book |last=Nadiem |first=Ihsan H. |author-link=Ihsan H. Nadiem |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Punjab/pyFuAAAAMAAJ?hl=en |title=Punjab: Land, History, People |date=2005 |publisher=al-Faisal Publishers |isbn=978-969-503-434-7 |location=Lahore |pages=124 |language=en}} The region was part of Multan province of Mughal Empire.{{Cite book |last=Dasti |first=Humaira Faiz |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kH3jAAAAMAAJ&q=multan+a+province+of+mughal |title=Multan, a Province of the Mughal Empire, 1525-1751 |date=1998 |publisher=Royal Book |isbn=978-969-407-226-5 |language=en}} Around 1610, the town was taken from the Mirani rulers by the Jaskani Balochs, who held it until 1787. Abdun Nabi Sarai was appointed Governor by Timur Shah Durrani, but three years later, it was included in the Governorship of Muhammad Khan Sadozai, who transferred his seat of Government to Mankera. Pathans also settled the land during the Abdali era of Jahan Khan who was the chief of Durrani forces in the region.Ahmad Khan, Hussain [https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Re_Thinking_Punjab/nV71AwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=pathans+of+punjab+niazi&pg=PA131&printsec=frontcover Re-thinking Punjab: The Construction of Siraiki Identity] (2004) National College of Arts

In 1794, Humayun Shah, the rival claimant to the throne of Kabul, was captured near Layyah and brought into the town, where his eyes were gouged out by order of Zaman Shah. Under the Sikh Government, the town once more became the centre of administration for the neighbouring tract, and after the British occupation in 1849, was for a time the headquarters of a Civil Administrative Division. This administrative status of Layyah was short-lived and the British reduced it to the level of Tehsil headquarters, making it a part of Dera Ismail Khan. In 1901, Layyah was transferred to the new District of Mianwali. Later on, it was made part of the Muzaffargarh District. In 1982, Layyah Tehsil was upgraded to District headquarters comprising three Tehsils: Layyah, Karor and Chaubara. The municipality was created in 1875.[http://www.layyahonline.net/History-Of-Layyah/History-Of-Layyah.html History Layyah] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405004331/http://www.layyahonline.net/History-Of-Layyah/History-Of-Layyah.html |date=2019-04-05 }}.

In February 2025, a branch of Pak Tea House, a literary centre, was established in the city.{{cite news |last1=Hussain |first1=Irshad |title=Layyah revives literary legacy with Pak Tea House |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2526216/layyah-revives-literary-legacy-with-pak-tea-house |access-date=6 February 2025 |work=The Express Tribune |date=3 February 2025 |language=en}}

{{Historical populations|1951|14913|1961|19608|1972|33,549|1981|51,482|1998|72,319|2017|126,055|2023|151,274|align=center|percentages=pagr|footnote=Sources:{{cite web |title=Population by administrative units 1951-1998 |url=https://repository.lahoreschool.edu.pk/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/13673/Administrative%20Units.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=1 |publisher = Pakistan Bureau of Statistics}}}}

According to 2023 census, Layyah had a population of 151,274.{{Cite web |title=Layyah (Layyah, Punjab, Pakistan) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/pakistan/punjab/layyah/7170105__layyah/ |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}{{cite web |title=PAKISTAN: Provinces and Major Cities |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/Pakistan-100T.html |access-date=4 May 2020 |website=PAKISTAN: Provinces and Major Cities |publisher=citypopulation.de}}

• Lala Harkishen Lal (d. 1937), Indian industrialist and co-founder of Punjab National Bank
• Munir Malik (1934–2012), Pakistani cricketer
• Mahar Ijaz Ahmad Achlana (b. 1966), Pakistani politician and former member of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab
• Jalat Khan (b. 1999), Pakistani domestic cricketer
• Mehr Abdul Haq (1915–1995), Pakistani philologist
• Mohinder Pratap Chand (1935–2020), Indian writer and poet
• Hassan Nawaz, Pakistani international cricketer

• Chowk Azam
• Multan

{{Reflist}}

• [https://layyah.punjab.gov.pk/ Layyah – Official website]
• {{cite web|title= Layyah – Government Government of Punjab |url=http://www.punjab.gov.pk/layyah |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703011656/http://www.punjab.gov.pk/layyah |archive-date=3 July 2020 }}
• [http://www.layyahonline.net/ Layyah Online]
• [http://layyah.dc.lhc.gov.pk/ District Courts of Layyah] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121073937/http://layyah.dc.lhc.gov.pk/ |date=2021-01-21 }}
• [https://www.uvas.edu.pk/other_campuses/Layyah/history.htm A Brief History of Layyah]
• {{cite news |last1=عطا |first1=محمد صابر |title=لیہ میں تاریخی سرائے ’ہر جس گابہ‘ اور گابہ خاندان |trans-title=The historic inn 'Har Jas Gaba' in Layyah and the Gaba family |url=https://www.independenturdu.com/node/144631 |access-date=6 February 2025 |work=Independent Urdu |date=15 August 2023 |language=ur}}

{{Commons category}}

{{Layyah District}}

Category:Populated places in Layyah District