the mountain north to tilla range. Gakhars were the dominant race during the early Muslim era and they long continued to retain their independence, both in Jhelum itself and in the neighbouring district of Rawalpindi. Medieval In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin. In 1005 he conquered the Shahis in Kabul and followed it by the conquests of Punjab region including Jhelum. The Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal Empire ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly Muslim due to missionary Sufi saints whose dargahs dot the landscape of Punjab region. The Mughals were Persianized Turks who claimed descent from both Timur and Genghis Khan and strengthened the Persianate culture of Muslim India. Being very few in number, main families of Mughal Barlas, the descent of Ameer-i Taimoor settled in Mong Rasool and afterward scattered to village chak Nazar, Shamaspur, Aima Afghana, khardiyala, Chak sikander, Malhar Muglain, Mota Garbi, Bhimber, they adopted a policy of converting the local Jats and Gakhars mandatory as recorded in the Baburnama. Thus it is credited to the Mughals, who were largely responsible for the conversion of the Jats to Islam. With the collapse of the Mughal Empire after the death of Aurangzeb, the Durrani Empire had occupied the plains but were eventually ousted by the Sikhs. Later periods After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the region fell under Afghan occupation. During the decline of Afghan rule following the Third Battle of Panipat, the newly emerging Sikh Empire invaded and occupied Jhelum District in 1808 from its Gakhar ruler Raja Sultan Muqarrab Khan. In 1849 Jhelum passed with the rest of the Sikh territories to the British. In 1857 the 14th Native Infantry stationed at Jhelum town mutinied, and displayed a vigorous defence against a force sent from Rawalpindi to disarm them, but decamped for the night following the action, with the main body being subsequently arrested by the Kashmiri authorities, into whose territory they had escaped. British Raj During British rule, Jhelum was connected by the North-Western Railway to other cities in the Indian Empire, 1,367 miles from Calcutta, 1,413 from Bombay, and 849 from Karachi. The population according to the 1901 census of India was 14,951. According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India: During the Mutiny of 1857, 35 British soldiers of the Regular 24th Regiment of Foot were killed at