Baloch Haq Tawar, an organization, revealed in a recent media statement that Changez Marri, a former contender for the chief minister of Balochistan, is illegally seizing the lands of poor Marris in the New Kahan area of Quetta. Marri, his son and a group of underlings are reportedly threatening the locals to either obey their commands or lose their lands.
Baloch Haq Tawar said that Nawab Khair Baksh Marri and numerous other bravehearts, who sacrificed their lives for the independence of Balochistan, now rest in the outskirts of Quetta city in the New Kahan Marri Camp. But Changez Marri, Nawab Khair Baksh Marri’s son, is now threatening to seize the land of poor Marri tribesmen. They have sold the rest of the land, and now they are eyeing the very cemetery where Nawab Marri is buried.
The statement said that Buzair Marri, Changez Marri’s son, threatened the local Marris in a telephonic address that the New Kahan Marri Camp belongs to me and my father. “I want to make it clear: if you don’t obey my father, I will claim your lands for myself and throw you out of New Kahan”, Buzair was quoted saying.
Baloch Haq Tawar claimed that Changez Marri, his son Buzair Marri and their underlings have created a state-backed death squad. They “abduct” the people of Marri tribe from different areas of Balochistan, especially Quetta, and take them to their farmhouses in Hub Chowki and Karachi. The detainees are kept in confinement and tortured for months and years. They demand millions of rupees in ransom and only release the detainees if the ransom is paid. The unfortunate few who cannot afford to pay the ransom are labelled as Baloch “pro-independence” fighters and handed over to the Pakistani authorities, they said.
“In many cases, people have had to sell their daughters to pay the ransom”, they said.
Baloch Haq Tawar said that Changez Marri has used several tactics to defame the Baloch “pro-independence” fighters. A few years ago, he directed several of his armed men to dress like Baloch”sarmachars” and surrender before the Pakistani forces, they claimed.
The group said that we appeal to the human rights and Baloch “pro-independence” groups to take notice of the issue and raise their voices against it. “If we keep quiet, these people might become far more dangerous than Shafiq Mengal.”