QUETTA: Tribal elders loyal to the late Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri have elected his son Nawabzada Mehran Marri as chief of the Marri tribe, rejecting in the process the purported appointment of Jangeez Marri as head of the tribe.

A gathering of tribesmen held on June 20 in Quetta had ‘elected’ Nawabzada Jangeez Marri as the new chief of the tribe.

However, brothers of Jangeez Marri and elders loyal to the late Nawab Marri rejected his appointment as the tribe’s head. They alleged that Jangeez Marri had been ‘appointed’ the tribe’s chief by pro-government elders on the behest of the establishment.

Also read: Baloch leader Khair Bakhsh Marri dies

Meanwhile, at the meeting this week it was observed that Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri had nominated Mehran Marri as his successor. In view of the will of the late Nawab the meeting decided to appoint Mehran as the new chief of the Marri tribe.

On the occasion, the elders reposed complete confidence in the leadership of Mehran Marri and urged all the tribes struggling for the rights of the Baloch to extend support to the newly-elected chief.

Opinion: The scholar sardar

Nawabzada Brahmdagh Bugti, the chief of the Baloch Republican Party and grandson of late Nawab Akbar Bugti, praised the decision and congratulated Mehran Marri over elevation as the new head of the Marri tribe.

Nawabzada Gazeen Marri, the elder brother of Mehran Marri, also endorsed the decision and said that Mehran Marri enjoyed complete support of the followers of his late father.

“Mehran Marri is the true follower of late Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri,” he said.

Also see: Khair Bakhsh Marri: a fighter all the way

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2014