Leiah Town
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Leiah Town
Head-quarters of the Tahsil of the same name in Mianwali District, Punjab, situated in 30° 58' N. and 70° 56' E., on the high bank of the Indus, east of the river. Population (1901), 7,546. Founded by Kamal Khan, a Mirani Baloch and a descendant of the founder of Dera Ghazi Khan, about 1550, the town was taken about 1620 from the Mirani rulers by the Jaskanl Balochs, who held it till 1787. After that year 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. In 1794 Humayun Shah, the rival claimant to the throne of Kabul, was captured near Leiah and brought into the town, where his eyes were put out by order of Zaman Shah.
Under the Sikh government the town once more became the centre of administration for the neighbouring tract, and on the British occupa- tion in 1849 it was for a time the head-quarters of a District. In 1 86 1, however, the District was broken up, and Leiah became a part of Dera Ismail Khan, but in 1901 was transferred to the new District of Mianwali. The municipality was created in 1875. The income during the ten years ending 1902-3 averaged Rs. 9,900, and the expen- diture Rs. 10,100. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 10,000, chiefly derived from octroi; and the expenditure was Rs. 10,600. The chief industry of Leiah is the manufacture of blankets. The town con- tains a dispensary aiid a municipal Anglo-vernacular middle school.
