[2] After the Second Anglo-Sikh war in 1849 the district was annexed by the British as part of the Punjab and remained so until 1901 when the North West Frontier Province or NWFP (now renamed as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) was created.

Dera Ismail Khan is home to the collection of Hindu ruins from two separate sites 20 miles apart,[3] jointly known as Kafir Kot.

Many of these foreign rulers, like the Indo-Parthians, Sakas, and Kushans converted to Hinduism and Buddhism and promoted these Indian religions throughout central and south Asia.

The Hindu Shahis built two massive forts in the northern edges of Dera Ismail Khan.

[5] The district is part of what was historically territory inhabited by the Baloch people during the medieval India, who were invited to settle in the region by Shah Husseyn of the Langah Sultanate of Multan.

[3] Dera Ismail Khan was created as an administrative unit of the British India, part of the Derajat Division of the North-West Frontier Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).

Beyond this, the country rises abruptly, and a barren, almost desert plain stretches eastwards, sparsely cultivated, and inhabited by nomadic tribes.

[6] In 2016, 191,000 acres in the district were brought under cultivation with completion of the Gomal Zam dam, and a series of irrigation canals partially funded by the United States Government.

[7] Languages Saraiki are main ethnic groups in Dera Ismail Khan District in simple majority.

Total population of DI Khan District is 1,822,916 consists of Males 956,098 & females 866,667 as of 2023 Pakistani census.

Languages of Dera Ismail Khan District (2023 Pakistani census) There are 1,198,862 Saraiki, 582,703 Pashto, 31,152 Urdu, 4,765 Punjabi, 863 Sindhi, 791 Balochi, 490 Kashmiri, 2,738 Hindko, 5 Brahui, 18 Shina, 2 Balti, 3 Kalasha & 524 others of total 1,822,916 [8]

[citation needed] It consists of chicken, onions, garlic, tomatoes, khusk dhania, garam masala, turmeric, and other spices.

Some cultural games (kabaddi, mailay and kodi, which is played by three sportsmen called pehlwaan where one runs while two other have to catch him in a big circular ground encircled by spectators) are still popular among native Saraiki people and have been for decades.