After Battle of Balakot, forces of Maharaja Ranjit Singh mainly Gheba tribe settled in Attock and Rawalpindi.

Because it was vulnerable to invaders, the town remained deserted until another Ghakkar chief, Jahanda Khan, restored it and named it Rawalpindi (after the village Rawal).

To the north lie the rich plains round Rawalpindi town, sloping up to the outlying spurs of the Himalayas, which form the northern boundary of the tahsil.

To the south the country is cut up by torrent beds and ravines into little plateaux, which vary in soil and character, but resemble each other in difficulty of access".

The bazaars specialize in handicrafts such as inlaid sheesham and walnut furniture, Kashmiri silver, shawls and jackets, embroidered and woollen kurtas and household linen, potohar shoes and chappals, cane baskets and furniture, walking sticks, and hand-woven Kashmiri and Bokhara carpets.