After crushing defeat of the Ghurids in Battle of Andkhud, several rebellions occurred throughout their empire, most menacing was that of the rebellious natives of the Pothohar Plateau, the Khokhars, who endeavoured to seize Lahore itself.
Hence, Muhammad of Ghor himself marched from Ghazna to deal with Khokhars and his forces were further augmented by the Indian contingents under Qutubuddin Aibak and Iltutmish.
[3] The Khokhars under their leaders Sarkha and Bakan in coalition with a chief of Salt Range - Raisal[a] began raiding the Ghurid domains west of the Indus Delta around Lahore and pillaged the whole countryside.
Nizami further describes the battle that "at the head of the army of Islam and the support of warriors of faith was the second Alexander - Shamsuddin Iltutmish who "kneaded the soil of the battlefield with the blood of Khokhars".
[12] After capitulation of the citadel, several Khokhars who took refuge in it after their defeat a day before in the pitched battle, fled to the nearby forest which was callously burnt down by Muhammad and his army.