The historical background of Balochistan is brimming with tribal fights, clashes and debate. Call it a reflection of the robust spirit that has for centuries engulfed the inhabitants of the land or a mere after effect of centuries of invasions and countless repulsions of those invasions. Whatever maybe one’s preferred option, the reality remains that the people of Balochistan have long held the spirit that has allowed them to be ever ready for any armed struggle against oppression, both foreign and domestic. The reason armed struggle against domestic oppression is even a possibility owes much to the continuous internal rifts that have consistently occurred within the Baloch community. Most of these rivalries are born out of family disputes, that escalate at unbelievable rates.
The clash between Mir Chakar of Rind tribe and Mir Gohram of Lashari tribe was of a similar sort. Raman, child of Gohram and Rehan, a nephew of Mir Chakar went to a stallion race. According to the decision of some Rind senior citizens, Rehan was announced champion; Raman Lashari was not happy with the choice and in this manner assaulted the stallions of Gohar, a woman who had looked for shelter with Mir Chakar Khan Rind. This assault was taken as an assault on Rind tribe and Lashari tribe was assaulted in vindication. This prompted conflict reaching extending to thirty years and costing a huge number of lives. In the recent past, Marri and Bugti tribes battled for a long time, costing hundred and thirty lives. Additionally, Bugti and Jakhrani tribes, in a quarrel of thirty years, lost two hundred lives.
The tribal debate has offered ascend to the foundation of ‘Mairh’ or ‘Marka’. Typically, these fights proceed for a considerable length of time till possibly one gathering is totally decimated or the gathering to blame acknowledges its wrongdoing. On the off chance that wrongdoing is acknowledged, tribal elites of the blamed side go to the elites of the other party to settle the issue. The elites of the opposite side either excuse them or force a sensible fine. The sending of tribal elites to the next gathering to settle an issue is known as Mairh. The significance of the establishment of Mairh can be acknowledged from the way that twenty years in length Marri-Bugti war was settled just in three days.
In an era when the world is moving towards globalization that would render the superstitions of the past obsolete, Balochistan seems a case of being frozen in time. A region almost condemned due to administrative mishandlings to be the land of the lawless in many cases. The laws and myths of previous years are still as prevalent today as they were back then. Any progress forward, would depend squarely on an overhaul of such a social order. Not doing so, would be akin to taking one step forward, while two steps backwards. An illogical fallacy in any case.
