Vehari District (Urdu: وہاڑی) is a district in the Punjab province
of Pakistan - the city of Vehari is the capital of the district.[1]
The district was created in 1976 out of the three tehsils of Multan
District (Vehari, Burewala and Mailsi). The name Vehari means low
lying settlement by a flood water channel. The district lies along
the right bank of the river Sutlej which forms its southern
boundary.
Vehari District is the result of construction of the Pakpattan canal
from Sulemanki Head Works on the Sutlej and the institution of Nili
Bar colony project in 1925, so called because of the hints of blue
in the water of the Sutlej. The ancient history of the district is
obscure. The populated areas in ancient times was restricted to the
banks of the river Sutlej where seasonal inundation permitted some
cultivation. The rest of the area was a vast sandy scrap-land at
best affording pastures itinerant herdsmen. The riparian tract
formed the state of Fatehpur during the time of Akbar the Great.
This was ruled by Fateh Khan of Joya family who founded and gave his
name to the town of Fatehpur. Fatehpur is still in existence about
15 kilometres to the south of Mailsi and is the oldest town of
Mailsi subdivision. It has some remains of archaeological value.