Khetran

The Khetrans are an ethnolinguistic group primarily native to Barkhan in Balochistan and Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab, Pakistan. The total population was estimated to be about 150,000 in 2017, at least two-thirds of which are speakers of their native Khetrani, an Indo-Aryan language. A sizeable population in Barkhan can speak Balochi, while Khetrans who have settled to the east in the Dera Ghazi Khan speak Saraiki.

Origins
According to the 1st Encyclopedia of Islam, Khetrans pre-date Baloch migrations into their native hilly tract of the Sulaiman Mountains. Khetrans were already going through assimilation by the Baloch in the 19th century, a process slowed down only by the advent of British rule, and were organized in a similar way to a Baloch tuman. Conversely, Khetrans have assimilated several other peoples in their vicinity as well, including Jats, Baloch and Pashtuns.

History
In 1845 under the command of Sir Charles James Napier 7,000 men attacked the Bugtis, killing many of them. Khetrans provided sanctuary to hundreds of Bugtis who took refuge in their lands.

In 1847 Sir William attacked the Bugtis with full strength; this time the Bugtis lost 500 fighting men and 120 were arrested. Marris took the opportunity and also attacked the Bugtis, seizing much of their area. The Bugtis went to the Khetran Sardar and asked for his help; that same year a combined attack of Khetrans and Bugtis drove the Marris off, killing more than 70 of their men and taking possession of their cattle.