Arrival of Isla

The Punjabis followed a diverse plethora of faiths mainly Hindus but with large minorities of Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Pagans and Shamans when the Umayyad Muslim Arab army led by Muhammad bin Qasim conquered the Punjab and Sindh in 712. During the reign of Mahmud of Ghazni, The province became an important centre and Lahore was made into a second capital of the Ghaznavid Empire based out of Afghanistan.