LAHIṆĀ SIṄGH (d. 1797), one of the triumvirate who ruled over Lahore for more than 30 years before its occupation by Raṇjīt Siṅgh, was the son of Dargāhā and was adopted by Gurbakhsh Siṅgh Roṛāṅvālā, a Sikh chief of note belonging to the Bhaṅgī misl, after whose death in 1763 he succeeded him to his estates. The most spectacular achievement of Lahiṇā Siṅgh, in collaboration with Gujjar Siṅgh and Sobhā Siṅgh, was the capture of Lahore from the Afghān nominees, Kābulī Mall and his nephew, Amīr Siṅgh, and minting in 1765 the Sikh coin. Lahiṇā Siṅgh ruled over Lahore most successfully for 32 years, with some intermissions, until his death in September 1797. He enjoyed complete obedience and respect of the subjects. When in December 1766, Ahmad Shāh Durrānī invaded Lahore and Lahiṇā Siṅgh retired towards Kasūr, the Muslim citizens of Lahore pleaded before the Shāh to confirm Lahiṇā Siṅgh in the governorship of the Punjab. To this end, the Durrānī actually invited Lahiṇā Siṅgh, but the latter declined the proposal. He returned to the Shāh the fruit he had sent him, saying that such delicacies were meant for royalty alone. The Sikhs, he told the messenger, lived on parched gram. Of this he gave a quantity to the messenger to be presented to Ahmad Shāh on his behalf. Lahiṇā Siṅgh occupied Lahore as soon as the Shāh left for Afghanistan.

         Lahiṇā Siṅgh retained a permanent body of 3,000 cavalry and 2,000 infantry and in an emergency he could muster a force of 7,000 horse and 4,000 foot. His territory yielded about 15 lakhs of rupees annually.