Layyah ليّہ Leiah | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Layyah Railway Station inc. 2015 | |
  Layyah  Layyah | |
| Coordinates:30°57′55″N70°56′38″E / 30.96528°N 70.94389°E /30.96528; 70.94389 | |
| Country |  Pakistan |
| Province | Punjab |
| Division | Dera Ghazi Khan |
| District | Layyah |
| Area | |
| • Metro | 6,291 km2 (2,429 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 143 m (469 ft) |
| Population | |
• City | 151,274 |
| • Rank | 76th, Pakistan |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
| Postal code | 31200 |
| Calling code | 0606 |
| Number of towns | 1 |
| Number ofUnion councils | 36 |
| Website | layyah |
Layyah (Saraiki andUrdu:ليّہ), previously spelled asLeiah, is a city inLayyah District ofPunjab province ofPakistan.[2] The city is the headquarter ofLayyah District andLayyah Tehsil. It is the75th most populous city of Pakistan.[3]
The main languages spoken in the city includeSaraiki,Punjabi, andUrdu.
It lies between 30–45 to 31–24 degree north latitudes and 70–44 to 71–50 degree east longitudes. The area consists of a semi-rectangular block of sandy land between theIndus River and theChenab River inSindh Sagar Doab. Layyah is situated at an average elevation of 143 m above sea level. The total area covered by the district is 6,291 km2 with a width from east to west of 88 km and a length from north to south of 72 km.[citation needed]
The town was founded around 1550 by Kamal Khan Mirani, a member of BalochMirani dynasty and a direct descendant ofGhazi Khan Mirani, who laid the foundation ofDera Ghazi Khan.[4] The region was part ofMultan province ofMughal Empire.[5] Around 1610, the town was taken from the Mirani rulers by the Jaskani Baloch, who held it until 1787. Abdun Nabi Sarai was appointed Governor byTimur Shah Durrani, but three years later, it was included in the Governorship of Muhammad Khan Sadozai, who transferred his seat of Government toMankera.Pathans also settled the land during theAbdali era ofJahan Khan who was the chief of Durrani forces in the region.[6]
In 1794, Humayun Shah, a rival claimant to the throne of Kabul, was captured near Layyah and brought into the town, where his eyes were gouged out by order of Zaman Shah. Under theSikh Government, the town once more became the centre of administration for the neighbouring tract, and after the British occupation in 1849, was for a time the headquarters of a Civil Administrative Division. This administrative status of Layyah was short-lived and the British reduced it to the level ofTehsil headquarters, making it a part ofDera Ismail Khan. In 1901, Layyah was transferred to the new District ofMianwali. Later on, it was made part of theMuzaffargarh District. In 1982, Layyah Tehsil was upgraded to District headquarters comprising three Tehsils: Layyah,Karor andChaubara. The municipality was created in 1875.[7]
In February 2025, a branch ofPak Tea House, a literary centre, was established in the city.[8]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 14,913 | — |
| 1961 | 19,608 | +2.77% |
| 1972 | 33,549 | +5.00% |
| 1981 | 51,482 | +4.87% |
| 1998 | 72,319 | +2.02% |
| 2017 | 126,055 | +2.97% |
| 2023 | 151,274 | +3.09% |
| Sources:[9] | ||
According to2023 census, Layyah had a population of 151,274.[10][11]
