Jhang

Jhang stands on the Chenab in central Punjab, where its name became inseparable from the Sial chiefs. Local traditions trace the lineage to Rai Sial, but the river town's rise is more concretely associated with Mal Khan, who re-established Jhang on the Chenab in 1462. His authority involved obtaining the right to collect revenue within the jurisdiction of Chiniot. Agriculture, cattle grazing and control of riverine land underpinned the chiefs' power.

The Sials later built a regional state amid the weakening of Mughal authority. Their possessions and relationships extended toward Chiniot, Shorkot and the neighbouring doabs, but Sikh expansion steadily reduced their freedom of action. Ahmad Khan initially accepted tribute obligations to Ranjit Singh. Renewed fighting in 1805–1806 brought the capture of Jhang's town and fort, and Ahmad Khan sought refuge with the ruler of Multan. Attempts to recover his position were followed by further submission; in 1810 Ranjit Singh took him to Lahore. Jhang's early nineteenth-century transition thus grew from contested revenues, shifting alliances and the military consolidation of Punjab.