British rule

During British rule, Bhakkar Town was part of Bhakkar Tehsil in Mianwali District. It was located on the left bank of the Indus River, and the North-Western Railway line passed through it.^[4]

The Imperial Gazetteer of India described the town as follows:

It stands on the edge of the Thal or sandy plain overlooking the low-lying alluvial lands along; the river, a channel of which is navigable as far as Bhakkar during the floods. To the west of the town the land is low, well cultivated, and subject to inundation, while to the east the country is high and dry, treeless, and sandy. A rich extent of land irrigated from wells lies below the town, protected by embankments from inundations of the Indus, and produces two or three crops in the year. The neighbouring riverain is full of date groves and fruit gardens; and in it stands a famous mango-tree, the fruit of which used to be sent to Kabul in the old days of Afghan rule. The municipality was created in 1874. Its income and expenditure during the ten years ending 1902–3 averaged Rs. 7,700. The income in 1903-4 was Rs. 7,500, chiefly derived from octroi; and the expenditure was Rs. 8,600. The population according to the 1901 census of India was 5,312, at that time the town contained a dispensary and a municipal vernacular middle school.^{[4][excessive quote]}

Dilkusha Bagh

Dilkusha Bagh is an old date orchard in Bhakkar. It is believed to be a Mughal garden built by Humayun or Akbar. It is home to hundreds of rare date cultivars, along with its common Basra dates.^[8]

Karna oil

Bhakkar is known for production of Karna oil from Karna flowers. The flowers are used in a multitude of ways, but the most common use is to make oil. Its essence is extracted and added to mustard oil while cloves, cardamom, jasmine and other spices are also added to the mixture. The resulting product is called ‘karna oil’ and is thought to be a quality product for treating a wide array of hair related issues such as dandruff and unnecessary shedding.^[9]