Poonch

Poonch lies in the mountains southwest of the Vale of Kashmir. A route from the town crossed the Pir Panjal Pass to Hirapur in the valley, joining two regions separated by a formidable Himalayan range. During the rule of the Kashmiri sultans the road was extended towards Bhimber; after the Mughal conquest of Kashmir, Akbar strengthened it as part of the imperial road from Lahore.

In the late fifteenth century, Poonch was brought under the Kashmir Sultanate by the campaigns of its general Malik Tazi Bhat. Its local rulers retained some authority while acknowledging the sultan and providing tribute and military support. The region later came under Mughal influence, and in 1819 it became part of Ranjit Singh's Sikh Empire. Ranjit Singh granted Poonch as a jagir to his noble Dhian Singh.