Governor Magsi tasked to convince Nawab Marri

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA: Prime Minister Syed Yosuaf Raza Gilani has entrusted the responsibility of bringing veteran Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Khair Baksh Marri on negotiation table to Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi, reported a respected Quetta-based daily on Monday.

Daily Intekhab, which is simultaneously published from Karachi, Quetta and Hub, carried a lead story on Monday disclosing that Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani had tasked Governor Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi to convince Nawab Khair Baksh Marri, a seasoned Baloch nationalist leader who overtly supports the cause of an independent Balochistan and armed struggle against Islamabad.

This comes only two days after an unanticipated meeting in Karachi between prime minister Gilani and another prominent Baloch tribal and political figure, Sardar Attaullah Mengal, who is also the patron-in-chief of Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal).

According to the Intekhab report, Nawab Magsi has been asked to convince Nawab Marri to agree to meet the top government officials in order to pave the way for government’ s reconciliation process in Balochistan.

“According to reliable sources, Nawab Magsi has been endeavoring for a long time (to serve as a bridge between the government and the Baloch nationalists) but Nawab Marri has remained adamant to meet any top government official,” said the report, “however, his son, Nawabzada Gazin Marri is constantly in touch with President Asif Ali Zardari who had previously met  him (Gazin) in Dubai three months ago. The friendship between both the leaders (Zardari and Gazin) is very old.”

Quoting ‘reliable sources’, Intekhab reported that secrete meetings were taking place between the government and some nationalist leaders. “A former senator and the leader of a nationalist party is playing a key role in these secrete meetings with the government. He has proposed fresh elections in Balochistan so that a representative government is formed in the province. National Party is, surprisingly, opposed to this proposal,” the report added.

It further said government representatives were engaged in furthering the re-conciliatory process in Karachi, Dubai and London. “But the problems is the unwillingness of the commanders engaged in an armed struggle from the Balochistan hills who are still unwilling to become a part of this negotiation process,” concluded the report.