Balach Marri
{{short description|Baloch militant and separatist (1966–2007)}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Balach Marri
| image = Balach Marri .jpg
| image_upright =
| caption = Nawab Balach Khan Marri
| nickname =
| birth_date = January 17, 1966
| birth_place = West Pakistan
| death_date = {{death date and age |2007|11|20|1966|01|17|mf=yes}}
| death_place = Afghanistan
| allegiance = Baloch Liberation Army (BLA)
| serviceyears =
| rank = Leader
| unit =
| commands =
| battles = Insurgency in Balochistan{{KIA}}
| spouse =
| children = Nawabzada Rohail Marri
| relations = Hyrbyair Marri (brother)
Ghazan Marri (brother)
Hamza Marri (brother)
Mehran Marri (brother)
Changez Marri (brother)
}}
Balach Marri ({{langx|ur|مير بالاچ مری}}; 17 January 1966 – 20 November 2007) was a Baloch commander in the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a Baloch nationalist organisation, listed as a terrorist group by Pakistan, China, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/456294/list-of-banned-organisations-in-pakistan/|title=List of banned organisations in Pakistan|publisher=Tribune.com.pk|access-date=14 October 2014}}{{cite book|last1=Office|first1=Home|title=PROSCRIBED TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS|date=15 July 2016|publisher=Home Office|page=9|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/538297/20160715-Proscription-website-update.pdf|access-date=16 July 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/terrorist-designations-of-balochistan-liberation-army-and-husain-ali-hazzima-and-amendments-to-the-terrorist-designations-of-jundallah/|title=Terrorist Designations of Balochistan Liberation Army and Husain Ali Hazzima and Amendments to the Terrorist Designations of Jundallah|date=2 July 2019|work=U.S. Department of State}}{{cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2004785/1-us-declares-bla-terrorist-outfit/|title=US declares BLA as terrorist outfit|date=2 July 2019|work=Express Tribune}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/international/us-declares-baloch-separatist-group-bla-a-terror-outfit|title=US declares Baloch separatist group BLA a terror outfit|date=3 July 2019|work=National Herald India}}
Personal life
Marri was one of six sons of Balochistan politician Khair Bakhsh Marri. Marri's brothers are Hyrbyair Marri, Ghazan Marri, Hamza Marri, Mehran Marri, and Changez Marri.
Leader of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA)
Balach Marri was one of the major leaders of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). His death caused a split in the BLA. Since Hyrbyair Marri was arrested in United Kingdom, Mehran Marri took control of BLA. Mehran was accused of running the affairs of the BLA in a mismanaged manner.{{cite web|url=https://cscr.pk/explore/themes/defense-security/internal-divisions-within-baloch-liberation-army/|title=Internal divisions within Baloch Liberation Army|date=21 January 2018|work=Centre For Strategic And Contemporary Research (CSCR)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422054410/https://cscr.pk/explore/themes/defense-security/internal-divisions-within-baloch-liberation-army/|archive-date=22 April 2019|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} The rift between Mehran Marri and Hyrbyair Marri led to the creation of United Baloch Army (UBA). BLA leadership has accused Mehran and his companions of stealing $3 million funds and $800 million worth of weapons from BLA, with which they launched UBA.{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1185401|title=Situationer: Who's who of Baloch insurgency|date=1 June 2015|work=Dawn News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422054407/https://www.dawn.com/news/1185401|archive-date=22 April 2019|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} United Baloch Army is a break away faction of Baloch Liberation Army and is currently run by Mehran Marri.
Moreover, after Balach Marri's death BLA was greatly weakened in North-Eastern and Central part of Balochistan.{{cite web|url=https://gandhara.rferl.org/a/pakistan-balochistan-separatist-insurgency-on-the-wane-despite-recent-attack/29889887.html|title=Balochistan’s Separatist Insurgency On The Wane Despite Recent Attack|date=18 April 2019|work=Gandhara Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberity|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420001348/https://gandhara.rferl.org/a/pakistan-balochistan-separatist-insurgency-on-the-wane-despite-recent-attack/29889887.html|archive-date=20 April 2019|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}
Murder of Akbar Bugti
The Chairman of the Baloch Youth Council (London), Waja Mir Hazar Khan Baloch, stated that Balach Marri was behind the murder of Akbar Bugti. He stated that Brahamdagh Bugti told him that the cave in which Akbar Bugti was hiding in, came down due to blast by remote control and Balach Marri was standing just outside the cave at that time.{{cite web|url=https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/02/25/‘harbiyar-marri-to-be-tried-for-murder-of-justice-nawaz-marri’/|title=Harbiyar Marri to be tried for murder of justice Nawaz Marri|date=25 February 2012|work=Pakistan Today}}
Moreover, Baloch Youth Council (London) stated that an Indian diplomat had organised a meeting between Harbiyar Marri and Brahamdagh Bugti to resolve misunderstanding among them. The council claimed that Indian intelligence wing RAW was also present in the meeting between the two leaders. Indian intelligence officials and diplomats tried to persuade them to resolve difference among themselves. Harbiyar Marri wanted full independence and form government-in-exile. While Brahamdagh Bugti rejected Harbiyar's plan and claimed that he was the international leader.
Death
Balach Marri was killed in Afghanistan on 21 November 2007.{{cite web|url=https://www.samaa.tv/news/2017/09/baloch-leader-ghazan-marri-returns-exile-gets-arrested/|title=Baloch leader Ghazan Marri returns from exile, gets arrested|date=22 September 2017|work=Samaa Tv|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419211032/https://www.samaa.tv/news/2017/09/baloch-leader-ghazan-marri-returns-exile-gets-arrested/|archive-date=19 April 2019|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/urdu/pakistan-46834089|title=Balochistan: Insurgency could directly effect the children and women of refugees|date=12 January 2019|work=BBC News|language=ur|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209135359/https://www.bbc.com/urdu/pakistan-46834089|archive-date=9 February 2019|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} According to some sources, Marri was killed in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) airstrike in Afghanistan. NATO officials had mistaken him and his men for Taliban fighters and conducted airstrike on them, resulting in Marri's death.{{cite web|url=http://www.caravanmagazine.in/Story.aspx?Storyid=514&StoryStyle=FullStory|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101029053351/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/Story.aspx?Storyid=514&StoryStyle=FullStory|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 October 2010|title=India in Afghanistan|date=29 October 2010|work=Caravan Magazine}}{{cite web|url=http://paktribune.com/news/Baloch-nationalist-leader-Nawab-Marri-is-no-more-269621.html|title=Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Marri is no more|date=11 June 2014|work=Paktribune|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419211034/http://paktribune.com/news/Baloch-nationalist-leader-Nawab-Marri-is-no-more-269621.html|archive-date=19 April 2019|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1111835|title=Baloch nationalist leader Khair Bakhsh Marri passes away|date=11 June 2014|work=Dawn News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419225228/https://www.dawn.com/news/1111835|archive-date=19 April 2019|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}
However, Abdul Qadeer Baloch also known as Mama Qadeer, said that Khair Bakhsh Marri believed that Hyrbyair Marri was behind the killing of Balach Marri. He made these remarks while reading out the last message of Khair Bakhsh Marri. In the message, Khair Bakhsh Marri questioned the circumstances surrounding the death of Balach Marri. In the written message, Khair Bakhsh Marri claimed that Hyrbyair Marri was the one who assassinated Balach Marri.{{cite web|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vjCwDl628sY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/vjCwDl628sY |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Balach Marri was killed by his own brother|date=22 November 2017}}{{cbignore}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cite news|title=Pakistan rebel group leader Balach Marri 'killed'|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world/pakistan-rebel-group-leader-balach-marri-killed/story-OmdOKnk6xBvQ2uGwzxeTQM.html|newspaper=Hindustan Times|date=November 22, 2007|via=AFP}}
{{baloch nationalism}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marri, Balach}}
Category:Pakistani politicians