Khetran

TheKhetransare anethnolinguisticgroup primarily native toBarkhaninBalochistanandDera Ghazi KhaninPunjab, Pakistan.The total population was estimated to be about 150,000 in 2017, at least two-thirds of which are speakers of their nativeKhetrani,anIndo-Aryan language.A sizeable population in Barkhan can speakBalochi,while Khetrans who have settled to the east in the Dera Ghazi Khan speakSaraiki.

Origins

According to the 1stEncyclopedia of Islam,Khetrans pre-dateBaloch migrationsinto their native hilly tract of theSulaiman Mountains.Khetrans were already going through assimilation by the Baloch in the 19th century, a process slowed down only by the advent ofBritish rule,and were organized in a similar way to a Balochtuman.Conversely, Khetrans have assimilated several other peoples in their vicinity as well, includingJats,BalochandPashtuns.

History

In 1845 under the command ofSir Charles James Napier7,000 men attacked theBugtis,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.Marristook 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.

1918 rebellion against British rule

This section is an excerpt fromOperations against the Marri and Khetran tribes.[edit]

Part of the British force returning from the conflict, passing through the hills at the southern border of Marri country.

Operations against the Marri and Khetran tribes(also known as the Marri Punitive Expedition) was the British name for apunitive expeditioncarried out against theMarriand Khetran tribes ofBalochistan,British India between February and April 1918. The Marri rose against the British authorities around 18 February, encouraged by rumours that the British were short of manpower due to theFirst World War.British attempts at conciliation were repulsed and, on 20 February, a major attack was made by 1,000 – 3,000 Marri upon the British post atGumbaz.This attack was repulsed by a much smaller British force that inflicted heavy losses upon the Marri. A subsequent withdrawal of British forces fromKohluand its occupation by the Marri led the Khetrans to join the rising. The town ofBarkhanwas occupied by Marri-Khetran forces and raids were made upon villages in theSibiandLoralaidistricts; railways in the area were also attacked.

The British assembled the Marri Field Force ofBritish ArmyandBritish Indian Armytroops under Major-GeneralRichard Wapshareto combat the rising. Two columns under Brigadier-GeneralsT. H. HardyandPhilip Mileswent on the offensive into territory occupied by the tribes. Miles inflicted a heavy defeat upon a Marri-Khetran force atFort Munroon 15 March and then captured Barkhan, ending Khetran involvement in the rising. Hardy defeated a large Marri force atHadbon 3 April and afterwards, assisted by bombing by theRoyal Flying Corps,captured the Marri capital ofKahan.The MarrisardarKhair Bux Mari surrendered to the British on 8 April.

The campaign caused a significant reduction in tax revenue from the area and damage to private and government property. A council of elders was assembled after the campaign which recommended compensation payments be made by the Marri and the imprisonment of members of both tribes. The rising inspired rebellions by theMengalandGurgnaritribes, who killed their own sardars, and by theMusakhel,which was put down by part of the Marri Field Force.