It is about 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Nankana Sahib and 30 km southeast of Sheikhupura.The newly constructed Karachi-Lahore Motorway has reduced the cities travel time from Lahore greatly.

The city was named by or after John Paul Warburton (1840–1919), a high-ranking police officer of the Raj period.

John Paul Warburton is widely acknowledged for his campaign against dacoits who lived in forests nearby and looted travellers.

The Warburton's were a prominent Anglo-Indian family, but John Paul was adopted, originally being called Jan Dad Khan.

Farmers from adjacent villages emphasise on Warburton as the main market where they sell their goods as well as buy fertilisers, seeds and stuff.