where they established the Khalji dynasty. Because they had already been Pashtunized by then, the Khalji were often seen as Pashtuns by the Turkic nobles of the Delhi Sultanate.

The Ghiljis are one of the largest Pashtun tribes. According to historian C.E. Bosworth, the tribal name "Ghilji" is derived from the name of the Khalaj, and it is likely that the Khalaj Turks initially