Sir: The death of Nawab Khair Bux Marri was a sad day for us. Nawab Marri was a man who believed in a political solution to the Balochistan conflict and while he will always be remembered for his part in the Baloch struggle, it is his contributions to trying to find a peaceful end to that struggle that should stand out. When he felt the Baloch nationalists were being counter-productive, he chose to retire from active politics. He also knew that the recalcitrant state would in all likelihood never pay heed to the causes and the repercussions of the violence in the province. He had many years to learn that the state is run by the incompetent for the benefit of the few, and that it would continue to try and take the rights of the Baloch people within Pakistan irrespective of how much death or mayhem they caused, because they are shortsighted and paranoid. He also had his disagreements with those who favoured armed struggle, and his attempts to unify the Baloch cause foundered because of it. Ultimately he did not live to see justice for the people of Balochistan; a tragic fate. He should be remembered for what he stood for, the rights of the Baloch people, and consequently of all Pakistanis. AFZAL CHAUDHRY Islamabad