Inayatullah Khan Sial

Inayatullah Khan Sial (Punjabi: عنایت اللہ خان سیال) was an 18th-century Punjabi Muslim general and chieftain who served as the 14th Sardar of Jhang. He succeeded his uncle Walidad Khan, who died heirless in 1747 and ruled until his own death in 1787. He was succeeded by his son Sultan Mahmud.

The Jhang State reached its zenith under Inayatullah Khan, who won 22 battles against the Bhangi Misl and the Nawabs of Multan. He also retook Chiniot from the Bhangis, which was lost to them early in his reign.

Early life Little is known about the early life of Inayatullah Khan. He accompanied his uncle Walidad Khan to his expeditions against the chiefs of Kheiwa, Sandal Bar, Shorkot, Chiniot, Kamalia, Sahiwal and Mari Shah Sakhira. He married Walidad's daughter and his only child, Fateh Bibi, and from whom he had a son named Sultan Mahmud. He had another son, Sahib Khan, through one of his concubines. He succeeded Walidad Khan after his death in Sodhra in 1747.

Reign At the beginning of his rule, he came into conflict with his cousin and brother-in-law Shahadat Khan who was a contender to the throne, but both came to terms, and Shahadat Khan was appointed his Wazir. Differences rose between both of them, and in 1751, Shahadat Khan took up arms against him but was defeated at Trimmu Ghat. Inayatullah again confronted Shahadat Khan in Sultanpur where he was defeated again and subsequently succumbed to his injuries on 26 July 1751.

Offensive against Sials of Rashidpur The town of Rashidpur was a Jagir granted to the Sials who shared a common ancestry with Inayatullah through Jalal Khan, the 4th chief of Jhang in the early 17th-century. After the incident of Shahadat Khan, Ahmad Yar Khan of Rashidpur asserted autonomy and tried to break away from the state. Inayatullah Khan, along with Zareef Khan, waged war against Ahmad Yar Khan. Ahmad Yar Khan met Zareef Khan at the gates of Rashidpur. After heavy fighting and the loss of a total 800 men from both sides, a wounded Ahmad Yar Khan surrendered, and Rashidpur was conquered.

Ahmad Yar Khan, who couldn't intervene in the internal matters of Jhang, sent a delegation to Inayatullah demanding peace and reconciliation between the two Sial factions. Inayatullah thus allowed Ahmad Yar Khan and his men to meet him at Jhang, but just when he was about to welcome them unarmed, Ahmad Yar Khan, along with his men subdued him in his own palace and took him as a prisoner to Rashidpur. He stayed there for 4 months while the administration of Jhang was held by his prime minister, Diwan Bhawani Das. Bhawani Das urged Mahmud Khan Gujjar to intervene in this matter and free Inayatullah Khan. An agreement was made in which Jhang accepted the independence of Rashidpur for the freedom of Inayatullah Khan.

Khakwani, who had foreseen these events, didn't sit quiet and to weaken Inayatullah's dominion won over the Sials of Shorkot by giving them Jagirs in Multan. As this challenged the local traditions of the Sial tribe, Inayatullah raised an army and left for Shorkot to settle the dispute. Khakwani interpreted this as an invasion and readied his men for an attack. Inayatullah gathered his nearby tribesmen and met Khakwani's forces near Kotla Muhammad Zarif Khan. The fighting pursued for 3 days but at last went in the favour of Inayatullah. Inayatullah then captured Shorkot, Kotla Zarif, Sarai Sidhu, and Garh Maharaja and gave the won over Jagirs to his loyal tribesmen.

Later campaigns The Kathia sardars of Shorkot on behalf of the Kharals, asked Inayatullah Khan to give the region around Kamalia to the Kharals. As a matter of goodwill, he granted this land for an annual 1,000 rupees tribute and a gift of 5 horses.