[3][4] He began his career as a patwari (accountant) and later as a sepoy after joining the Mughal army, eventually drawing the attention of the Punjabi nobles.

[11] Named Dina at birth, Adina was born into a Punjabi Muslim family of the Arain tribe, in the village of Sharaqpur (now in the Sheikhupura district of Punjab, Pakistan), twenty miles (32 km) from Lahore.

[14] He soon came under the patronage of Lala Sri Nivas Dhir, a wealthy Hindu merchant from Sultanpur, and obtained the revenue contracts for all the villages in the territory of Kang.

[15] In 1739, aiming to replace the newly deceased district officer of Sultanpur, Adina travelled to Lahore and secured an interview with the Viceroy of the Punjab, Zakariya Khan Bahadur.

Impressing in his interview, the viceroy demanded security for his good behaviour, and on being guaranteed by Lala Sri Nivas, Adina was appointed faujdar of Sultanpur.

[7] Zakariya Khan, learning of his performance, appointed him Subahdar of the Doaba with instructions to restrain the lawlessness and halt the rising threat of the Sikh Misls.

Moved by the display of devotion, Zakariya awarded a robe of honour to Adina and made him Deputy Governor of the Doaba under his son Shahnawaz.

However, on Yahiya's escape from captivity in July, Shahnawaz lost his bargaining power and on the advice of Adina he invited Ahmad Shah Durrani to invade the Mughal Empire.

Adina was twice injured when assisting Moin-ul-Mulk (also known as Mir Mannu) in the decisive Mughal victory at the Battle of Manupur which forced Durrani's retreat to Kabul.

Following the war, Adina tried to gain favour with Mir Mannu and offered his support to a campaign against the Sikhs in Jullundur as a means to dispel suspicions of his treachery during the Afghan invasions.

[25] On Mir Mannu's death on 3 November 1753, his two-year-old son was proclaimed viceroy, with his mother Surayya Begum becoming de facto ruler.

This victory was however short lived as the Begum, with the help of the Afghans, drove Sadiq Beg Khan from power and restored Khwaja Abdullah's position.

[29] On completion of the mission, Adina was made subahdar of Lahore and Multan by the Mughal government at Delhi in return for an annual tribute of thirty lakh of rupees.

The position was however short lived, as the Afghans successfully marched on Lahore to dispose Adina's deputy Sayyid Jamal-ud-Din and restore Khwaja Abdullah.

The new Viceroy at Lahore, Jahan Khan, then demanded the full obedience of Adina and threatened to lay waste to the Doaba if refused.

Raghunathrao and Malhar Rao Holkar, the two commanders-in-chief of the Maratha forces, remained in Lahore for three months after which they retired to the Deccan leaving Adina in sole control.

[4] Now in control of the entirety of the Punjab, Adina entrusted Lahore to his son-in-law Khwaja Mirza, and set up his headquarters in Batala nearer to his traditional power base in the Doaba.