Marri

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Marri - Baluch Tribe

Total population
200,000
Regions with significant populations
Pakistan  Saudi Arabia  United Arab Emirates  Islamic Republic of Iran  Afghanistan
Languages
Balochi, Sindhi
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Other Baloch tribes

Marri or Murri is one of the largest ethnic Baloch tribe in Balochistan and Sindh provinces of Pakistan. Marri was considered to be a clan of Rind tribe in the early history of Baloch and Balochistan. Right from the times of the British Raj, they have been noted for their fierce independence struggle and clashes with the authorities, although some leading members of the tribe do participate in the local, provincial and national elections of Pakistan.

Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri is the current tumandar of the Marri tribe.

Contents 1 Origins 2 Locations 3 History 3.1 Clashes with the British 3.2 1974 Insurgency 3.3 Recent Fighting 4 Main Tribes Of Marri 5 See also 6 References

[edit] Origins

When Chakar Khan Rind was leaving Balochistan and seekig a new settlement in Punjab he stayed at Kohlu. After Continuing his journey towards Punjab,one of his warrior Mir Bijar Khan refused to come with him, and Chakar Khan Rind called him "Marri" and left him. After that he regrouped some Rinds and some local tribesmen and laid the foundation of Marri tribe. Mir Bijar Khan was killed by buledis in 1520s. His people are called Bijarani. The Marri tribe has a tradition of incorporating people of Baloch and Pashtoon origin while expanding into their territory. Of the three main Marri divisions, the Gazini contains sections of various origins, 25% of the Loharani trace their origin to the Pashtoon Shirani tribe, and most of the Bijarani are Rind in origin. All these people now speak the Baluch language.^[1] The process of incorporation followed a pattern of assisting the Marri in a feud, admission to use of the tribal land, and finally marriage into the tribe.^[2] The total population of the Marri tribe in Balochistan today is reportedly around 98,000.^[3]

[edit] Locations

In Balochistan the Marri tribes are settled in the Kohlu, Sibi, Jaffarabad and Nasirabad districts. These districts are in the floor or the neighboring hills of a broad, dry valley that slopes gradually upward from the Sindh plains to the Bolan Pass, a route through the mountains to Quetta and Afghanistan. SibiCoordinates: 29°33′N 67°53′E / 29.55°N 67.883°E / 29.55; 67.883 is the gateway to the Bolan Pass. Marri tribe are also settled in Sanghar and Shikarpur districts of Sindh. The Marri-Bugti country is classed as a tribal area in Balochistan, politically controlled from Sibi, but enjoying a large measure of autonomy under its own chieftains, with total area 7129 square miles. It consists of the Sibi, Kohlu and Dera Bugti districts. Total population in 1901 was 38,919, almost equally divided between the two tribes of Marris and Bugtis. In the census of 1901 the Marri in the adjacent Dera Ghazi Khan District, now in Punjab, numbered 19,161 with a fighting strength of about 3,000.

[edit] History

[edit] Clashes with the British

The Marri relations with the British commenced in 1840 with attacks made on the communications of Sir John Keane's army, after it had passed through the Bolan Pass. An attempt was made to punish the tribe, which ended in disastrous failure. Major Clibborn was repulsed in an attempt to storm the Naffusak Pass, losing 179 killed and 92 wounded out of 650. Many of his force died of heat and thirst. The fort of Kahan, which he was trying to relieve at the time, was forced to capitulate with the honours of war. The Marris, however, joined the British against the Bugtis in 1845. After the annexation of Sind by the East India Company, in 1843, the Marris gave much trouble, but were pacified by the policy of General John Jacob and Sir Robert Sandeman.

In 1880, during the Second Afghan War, the Marris made frequent raids on the British line of communications, ending with the plunder of a treasure convoy. A force of 3070 British troops under Brigadier-General Macgregor marched through the country, and the tribe submitted and paid r1/4 lakh (£ 12,500) out of a fine of 2 lakhs (£20,000); they also gave hostages for their future good behaviour.

[edit] 1974 Insurgency

In February 1973, the Pakistani government intercepted an arms shipment from Iraq intended for delivery to Marri tribe militants. President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto dismissed the Balochistan government and put the province under cental government rule. The result was that large numbers of Marri tribesmen took to the hills in 1974 in an armed insurgency, and Khair Bakhsh Marri, chief of the Marri tribe, formed an organization called the Baluch People's Liberation Front. It took four years for the Pakistani army to bring the situation under control.^[4]

[edit] Recent Fighting

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is one of the current insurgent groups in Balochistan, tracing its origins to the Baloch People's Liberation Front. It appears to have divided leadership between members of the Bugti and Marri tribes, and to operate across the border between Afghanistan and Balochistan.^[5] The guerillas are said to have been trained in Afghanistan, and were led by Nawabzada Balach Marri, son of Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, an electronics engineer trained in Moscow who was killed in November 2007.^[6] Sporadic fighting continues.^[7] CLASHES OF MARRI IN about 1930 the main tribe of marri Misri zai clashes with Mir Fateh zai. The history tell us about this ,there seven people of Misri zai had killed and two men of Fateh khan zai had been killed .After it misri zai tribe migrate to duki for a long time.

[edit] Main Tribes Of Marri

Marri tribe have 3 main branches

1. Gazini
2. Bijarani
3. Loharani

• The sub tribes of Gazini

1. Bahawalanzai(chief Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri)
2. Mehandani (chief Wadara Amir Khan)
3. Langani (chief Wadara Nazir)
4. Zing (chief Wadara Ghulam Rasool)
5. Tagani (chief Wadara Ali Gul)
6. Nozbadgani (chief Haji Khair Mohammad Rahzin)
7. Chalgari (chief Wadara Sharbat Khan)
8. Badini (chief Wadra Soba Khan)
9. Mazarani (chief Wadara Qadir Khan)

 Aliani (wadaramirzihan)                                                                               

• The sub tribes of Bijarani

1. Qalandrani [Mir Mohabbat Khan]
2. MisriZai (Mir Ahmed Khan )
3. Kesrani (dad ali)
4. Shaheja (wadara mehrab khan)
5. Pavadi (wadara karim dad Diva khan)
6. Ramkani (mir hazar khan)
7. Sumrani (wadara mano khan)
8. Nihalanzai (mir bahar khan)

• The sub tribes of Loharani

1. Sherani (wadara habib , juma khan)
2. Mohmadani (wadara sohbat khan)
3. Jalambani (wadara mian khan)
4. Gowasrani
5. Loharani (wadara habiat khan)
6. Moridiani (mir hassan)

Somarani        (naga khan)

[edit] See also

• Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri
• Anglo Marri wars

[edit] References

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

This article is largely based on an article in the out-of-copyright 11th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, which was produced in 1911. It should be brought up to date to reflect subsequent history or scholarship (including the references, if any). When you have completed the review, replace this notice with a simple note on this article's talk page. Thanks!