Page 31 - Muzaffargarh Gazzetteer

Sikhs took Multan, and the talukas formerly governed by Muzaffar Khan,
viz., Rangpur, Muradabad, Muzaffargarh, Khangarh and Ghazanfargarh,
were henceforward administered by the Sikh governors of Multan. The
Multani Pathans fled the country, and went for the most part to Dera Ismail
Khan, not to return until the British come in 1849.
Ranjit Singh then proceeded to take over Dera Ghazi Khan (1819) and
Mankera (1821); and thus, the northern part of the district passed under the
rule of Sikhs. The southern half, however, still remained in the hands of the
Bahawalpur Nawabs, who accepted a lease of their earlier conquests from
the Sikh Maharaja, but when the then Nawab failed to remit the annual
amount in 1830, Ranjit Singh sent General Ventura to take charge of their
conquests and the Nawab was resultantly pushed across the Chenab, which
was set as the boundary between the Sikh Kingdom and the territories of
Bahawalpur. The whole of the present district was then united under
celebrated Diwan Sawan Mal, Governor of Multan, in 1837. Sawan Mal was
an able administrator and through his development and other works was
able to revive the agricultural economy, which had suffered much as a result
of constant warfare. Though under the Bahawalpur Nawabs, parts of the
district had enjoyed a fairly settled administration, Diwan Sawan Mal's
government was better than anything that had preceded it. Its sole object
was the accumulation of wealth for the Diwan. The execution of public works,
the administration of justice, and security of life and property, etc. were
secondary considerations, and were insisted on only because without them
agriculture would not prosper, and the revenue would not be paid. During
his time a large number of Labana colonists from the Punjab were settled in
the district. Diwan Sawan Mal died on the September 29, 1844, and was
succeeded by his son, Mul Raj of whom nothing particular connected with
the district is known.
In April 1848, Sir Herbert Edwardes, then Assistant to the Resident at
Lahore, heard of the news of the outbreak at Multan and the murder of Vans
Agnew. He was then at Dera Fateh Khan. He immediately crossed the river
to Layyah but retreated on the advance of a force sent by Diwan Mul Raj. The
next month passed in movements and counter-movements in the
neighbourhood of Layyah. Meanwhile, Edwardes had collected a mixed force
made up of mainly Multani Pathans and men of the Pandapur, Ustrana and
other border tribes. On the 21st May, he heard of the occupation of Dera
Ghazi Khan by a force that he had sent down the right bank of the Indus
under Van Cortlandt. He then proceeded to move towards Multan. On his
march he fought the battles of Kaneri and Sadduzam, in which his rough
levies behaved with great gallantry. These same forces took part in the siege
of Multan under General Whish. On the taking of Multan, on January 22,
1849, greater numbers were discharged and returned to their homes; 2,000,
however, of Edwardes' levies were retained in the government employment;
and the leading sardars all received handsome pensions. On March 29, 1849
the Punjab was annexed and the territories forming the present district,

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