Origins Lakki was first called by the name of "Thal Daman", which means an open sandy plain. The first evidence of civilization in the plains of Thal Daman and the spread of
Islam in
Bannu is indicated by the graves of Ashaab on the left bank of the
Kurram River. In addition, contemporary historians write about Bannu in their works.
Al-Baladuri wrote that "In the year 44 H. [664 AD], and in the days of the
Khalif Muawiya, Muhallib son of Abu Safra made war upon the same frontier, and advanced as far as
Banna and
Alahwar which lie between
Multan and
Kabul.” The tribes of Lakki Marwat, such as the [Bannuchi] are mentioned in the memoirs of
Mughal Emperor Babur. He considered the whole of the valley which is now the
Tahsil of Bannu and Marwat, as 'Bannu territory'. Babur also stated that when he came to Bannu in 1505, the Niazis were settlers in what now is Marwat. In 1602, the
Niazis were driven out by
Marwat towards
Isakhel. In 1756,
Ahmad Shah Durrani incorporated the whole of the Bannu territory into the
Durrani Empire centred at
Kandahar (later
Kabul). In 1818, the
Nawab of the area, Hafiz Ahmed Khan Sado Zai, annexed
Isakhel. The following year, he was invited by the White Gund of Marwats to aid him against the Black Gund of Marwats. After doing this, the Nawab, took possession of the whole Marwat area. He induced many of the leading classes to settle near it, so a number of families that had moved to Isakhel returned to the region. On 1 January 1861, the Leiah District was broken up and the Dera Jat District was formed with Bannu as its most northern area. In 1862, Bannu district was expanded to include parts of
Mianwali District, such as Pakhar
Kalabagh, a tract lying along the eastern base of the salt range, and the villages of Harnoli and
Wan Bhachran. On 9 November 1901, the
Mianwali District was formed out of the tehsils of Isa Khel and Mianwali from the Bannu District and Bhakkar and Leyyah from Dera Ismail Khan District. == Demographics ==