In 1766, soon after taking power, Jhanda Singh and Ganda Singh led a large army towards
Multan. They stopped at the right bank of the
Sutlej River, across from
Bahawalpur. Mubarik Khan, ruler of Bahawalpur, came to stop them. Shuja Khan, the governor of Multan, joined Mubarik Khan in the fight. A tough battle took place between the Sikhs and the Muslims, but neither side won. They agreed to divide the land between
Bahawalpur and
Lahore. A treaty was signed, and Pakpattan was decided as the boundary between the two groups.
Ahmad Shah Durrani's Eighth Invasion of India and the Sikh Resistance (1766–1767) In December 1766,
Ahmad Shah Durrani launched his eighth invasion of India, but the Sikhs were ready for him. Led by Jhanda Singh,
Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, and
Khushal Singh, they employed guerrilla tactics to constantly harass Durrani's forces. Undeterred, Durrani attempted to negotiate, sending letters to the three Sikh leaders on 15 January 1767, inviting them to either meet with him or face him on the battlefield. However, the Sikhs rejected his offer and continued their relentless attacks. By May 1767, Durrani had had enough and retreated from Punjab. Seizing the opportunity, Jhanda Singh remained in
Amritsar, completing the fort initially built by
Hari Singh. He also laid out the city's infrastructure, further solidifying the Sikhs' control over the region.
Kasur, 1771 In 1771, A group of Brahmans from
Kasur came to
Amritsar and reported that
Hindus were being mistreated and subjected to sexual violence by the Pathans of Kasur. They also mentioned that cows were being publicly slaughtered in different parts of the town. They asked for help in resolving these issues. The military post that had been set up by
Hari Singh in Kot Khwajah Husain in Kasur had been removed.
Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Jhanda Singh, and Ganda Singh quickly decided to attack Kasur to punish the wrongdoers. They left
Amritsar and stopped at
Tarn Taran, then continued to Khem Karan, where they stayed for two days. There, many other Sikhs joined them, drawn by the possibility of gaining a large amount of loot. They then moved toward Kasur. The two Afghan leaders, Hamid Khan and Usman Khan, came out to fight. Despite the tough resistance from the defenders, the Sikhs managed to break into the town. A close battle took place in the streets. The invaders destroyed Garhi Adur Rahim Khan and seized a lot of loot. Fighting continued in other forts for a few more days. Eventually, the Afghan leaders realized they couldn't win and asked for peace. They agreed not to kill cows, not to mistreat their Hindu subjects, and to pay a tribute along with a fine of four lakhs of rupees. The Sikhs accepted these terms. The military post in Kot Khwajah Husain was reinstated, and the Afghan rulers were honored with robes. The Sikhs then left Kasur.
Jhanda Singh's 1771 Bahawalpur Campaign In 1771, Jhanda Singh focused his attention on
Bahawalpur, sending Commander Majha Singh to attack the area. Majha Singh successfully pillaged Khai, Sadullahpur, and neighboring regions under Bahawalpur's control. In response, the Nawab of Bahawalpur deployed his nephew, Jafar Khan, to lead a select force against Majha Singh across the Sutlej River. The ensuing battle was fierce, with several of the Nawab's officers killed. However, the tide turned in their favor with the timely arrival of reinforcements from Bahawalpur. Despite Majha Singh suffering a fatal bullet wound, his soldiers remained steadfast and prepared to continue fighting. Ultimately, the Nawab of Bahawalpur opted to purchase peace by paying a substantial sum of one lakh rupees, as reported by Gian Singh. Following this, the Sikh forces advanced towards
Multan.
Multan, 1772 In 1772, during Ahmad Shah's reign,
Timur Shah appointed Haji Sharif Khan as the governor of
Multan. Shuja Khan, the previous governor, retired to his town,
Shujabad. Haji Sharif Khan was ineffective, and the crops failed, leading to the saying: "Haji Sharif, na Rabi, na Kharif," referring to the failed crops. Furthermore, Haji Sharif Khan's indolence caused law and order to deteriorate, and he faced opposition from Shuja Khan and others. Dharam Das was murdered by Haji Sharif Khan's orders, which led to unrest. Timur Shah eventually replaced Haji Sharif Khan with Sharif Beg Taklu. However, Shuja Khan, with the support of Jafar Khan, Nawab of Bahawalpur, besieged Multan. Sharif Beg sought help from Jhanda Singh and Ganda Singh, the Bhangi sardars. After 18 days, the
Bahawalpur forces were defeated, and the Sikhs took control of the city on 25 December 1772. Jhanda Singh appointed his stepbrother, Diwan Singh Chachowalia, as the governor of Multan. ===
Jhanda Singh's western Punjab campaign=== In December 1772, after the capture of
Multan, Ganda Singh passed through
Bahawalpur, securing a tribute of one lakh rupees. Meanwhile, Jhanda Singh turned his attention to western Punjab, beginning with the conquest of
Tulamba, Jhanda Singh then subdued the influential Baluch chiefs of the
Jhang district, who controlled the Chenab River, and expanded further by bringing
Mankera under his control, securing its submission through tribute. He also secured the Nawab of Ahmadabad's submission, located across the Jhelum River from
Bhera, who paid twenty thousand rupees in tribute. Both Mankera and Ahmadabad were entrusted to Man Singh. Jhanda Singh continued to expand his territory, taking control of the land between the Salt Range and the
Chenab River, stretching from
Sahiwal to
Shahpur. However, local tradition challenges the claim that the Sikhs occupied
Mankera before Ranjit Singh's eventual conquest, suggesting that Jhanda Singh may have made the chief of Mankera a tributary while allowing him a degree of autonomy. Jhanda Singh then crossed the
Indus River at
Kalabagh, capturing the area and raiding parts of
Dera Ismail Khan. On his return journey, he captured
Pindi Bhattian and
Dhara, before targeting the stronghold of the Chatha Pathans at
Rasulnagar, located along the Sialkot-Multan road. During this campaign, he seized the famous
Zamzama gun and transported it to Amritsar, where it became known as the Bhangianwali Top. In 1773, Jhanda Singh, along with Ganda Singh, launched an expedition against Sialkot, capturing most of the district from the Pathans. They then turned their attention to
Jammu, where Ranjit Dev recognized their suzerainty and agreed to tribute arrangements. ==Death==