The Kethwals are a tribe of Pakistan, believed to originate from Kerman in Iran. They travelled eastwards, settled the hills and established self-government. According to the Census of India of 1881, the total population of Kethwals at that time was 1,834. They occupied five villages in Murree, of which one, Charhan, held a very large share. The Kethwal is the oldest tribe of Murree, and is of Rajput origin.
The tribe embraced Islam in 1402, when the teachings of the great Sufi from Kashmir, Syed Ali Hamdani, reached the Murree Hills. Mian Qadir Bakhsh, son of Raja Chandu of the Murree Hills, was the first Muslim of the Kethwal tribe, embracing Islam at Patan on the Kohala crossing.
The word Kethwal is derived from the name of a tribal chief, Mian Katho Khan. He was born in 1560 and ruled over the area for half a century. Until 1950, Kethwal families married their children between the ages of 15 and 18. There are many sub-tribes of the Kethwal, including the Badwal, Jogeal and Janjual.
Distribution
The Kethwals are spread across almost all of Pakistan. The tribe is well established in the following areas:
| Area | Villages and localities |
|---|---|
| Tehsil Murree | Sanj, Charhan, Ghel, Ban |
| Tehsil Kotli Sattian | Dheer Kot Kethwalan, Challawara, Balawara, Perchan, Phofandi, Karl, Dornoian, Saanth Anwali, Saanth Sarrullah, Burhad, Badnian, Kamra, Thoon, Kolyari, Dera Danoi, Andralian, Gola, Cela Saydan, Karor |
| Tehsil Kahuta | Punjar, Narr, Kahuta City, Manyand Sharif, Lehtrar, Dalhater, Dalhore, Mori Syydan, Pattana |
| Islamabad | Kuri Shar, Nilore, Chirrah, Ali Pur, Orchard Road, Sohan, Pind Begwal, Jang Kethwal, Bhara Kau, Dhoke Mango, Shakar Parian, Piran Fiqran, Ogrian Kurd Kalan, Sihala Chowdrian, Kangota Syddan, Rawat, Mehfooz Basti |
| Tehsil Rawalpindi | Shakrial, Chungi No. 8, Raja Bazar, Chah Sultan, Nimak Mandi |
| Tehsil Kallar Syedan | — |
Kethwal families are also found in Wah and Taxila, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Khewra, Pind Dadan Khan, Jhelum, Dina, Mirpur, Kotli, Nankial, Sialkot, Shakargarh, Gujrat, Lala Musa, Kharian, Wazirabad, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Sargodha, Jhang, Mochiwala, Kala Shah Kaku, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Pindi Bhattian, Sahiwal, Chichawatni, Kot Addu, Layyah and Dera Ghazi Khan.
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