The district is famous for its agriculture industry and its archaeological sites, specifically of Takht-i-Bhai,[4][5] Jamal Garhi[6] and Sawal Dher.

During the reign of the Buddhist emperor Ashoka (the grandson of Chandragupta), Buddhism became the religion of the Peshawar Valley.

The Dilzak Pashtuns joined the Gakkhars who held the country between the Indus and the Jhelum rivers and compelled the Lahore rulers to cede to them the hill country, west of the Indus and south of the Kabul River.

In the 10th century the area came under the control of Sultan Sabuktigin who defeated Raja Jaipal, the Hindu ruler of Lahore.

Sabuktgin's son Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni made this area the rallying point for his numerous raids into the interior of India.

[citation needed] In 1505, the Mughal emperor Babur invaded the area through Khyber Pass.

On one side of the river lived Pashtuns along with Gujjar, Syriake people of whom many were Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims.

Due to the military strength of the Yusufzai, Babur needed security from their location in the hills that threatened his empire.

In the same war the prominent rebel leader, Darya Khan Afridi was killed and the revolt was crushed.

From that time Peshawar city and Attock regions only (This does not include most of what is Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa today) became an administrative district under the Punjab Government.

The south western half of the district is mostly composed of fertile plain with low hills strewn across it.

It is generally accepted that this plain once formed the bed of a lake which was gradually filled up by the load of the river flowing into from the surrounding hills.

From the foothills the plain runs down at first with a steep slope which carried the rain water to the lower levels and ultimately to the Kabul river.

Kalpani, an important stream of the district rises in the Baizai and flowing southwards join Kabul river.

The oranges are a local famous fruit which is grown in Rustam valley in Palay, Palo Dheray,pirsai, Baroch and Malandray villages.

A new access road to these villages is being constructed via Rustam through Kaludheri Srakabroona Baringan Malandry to Buner District.

Each Kandi of the village has its own mosque and its own Maulvi and a place of meeting or for public assembly called Hujra.

In most cases it is the property of elders of the Kandi who is expected to feed and give shelter to the visitors and travellers.

Residents of Kandi assemble there to smoke, hear news of the day and discuss their problems and politics.

Nowadays the people in service abroad have accumulated sufficient wealth which brought a distinct change in the life of the villagers who construct pacca houses of cement, bricks and timber.

Recent project of China Pakistan Economic Corridor bring more importance to this era.