In 1963 a group of Hazara youths who had just stepped into
adulthood and were resident of one particular vicinity Nichari and
Nichari Camp
raised a football team under the president ship of Ghulam Ali Haidari
by title of “Taj Foot Ball Club”. They rented a small room, within the vicinity
where they lived. When they were not playing football, the small rented room
would become a place of social gathering. They would discuss any subject
related to every day life. But very often the discussion would lead them to one
particular point “Problem of The Community”. These include 1) high illiteracy
rate, 2) extreme poverty, 3) child labor as most of the families would prefer
their male children to assist the family head by earning what ever they could,
4) a state of destitute combined with the feeling of social dislocation due to
non-availability of basic facilities such as school, medical care center, job
opportunity due to practice of nepotism, 5) social evil practices, by this term
they meant certain expenditure which rich and poor had (has) to bear with on
the eve of death of a family member and during wedding ceremonies, 6) addiction
to lineage, causing disunity amongst Hazaras as the one experienced during
general elections. The players of the football team and their close friends
attending the “Club” would contribute towards the “Club” fund to meet the
recurring expenditure. They had no other source of income. It was during these
informal but very regular meetings that they agreed to establish a community
based organization with sole purpose of redressal of “Community Problems”. They
had seen the fall down of such an organization before them. It was
“Anjuman-e-Falaho Behbood-e Hazara” literally meaning “Hazara Welfare
Organization”. With its office set in a rented room 50 yards away from them.
Such members of community who were mostly Government employees and could be
termed as educated class established the welfare organization. By virtue of
their positions within the community that they were educated people, the
conveners of HWO were quite successful in getting the huge financial support of
the community elders in general. Its total setup consisted of a managerial
bureau with its office bearers and nominated members, from amongst the
community well off individuals, who could donate fixed amount towards
organization funds. As far as the aims and objectives of the organization,
these included, providing financial support to needy students, inculcating
unity amongst members of the community and bringing an end to the social evil
practices. By 1970, the organization, when it was decomposed, out of all those
aims and objectives envisaged, it had only managed to extend financial aids to
a few Hazara students. As for the other prescribed agendas, the organization
itself was disintegrated due to internal rivalries that had surfaced amongst
different clans on the eve of general election of 1970 in Pakistan. The term
rivalries cited here denote a very peculiar phenomenon in which every individual
member of the tribal society is involved. More than any other reason this type
of rivalry is, may be hidden jealousy, not sensed in every day life but on
occasions like elections, may surface and some times trigger blood feud too.
Hazara’s, like rest of other ethnic groups are addicted to genealogies.
However
among Hazara's greater emphasis is placed on lineage genealogy. They have given
names to the segments at different levels in the tribal genealogy. The said
election, two of the contestant belongs to two different lineage of “Jaghori”
and “Ourazgani”. As the members of the HWO were akin to one or the other of the
two candidates by virtue of their lineage, intentionally or otherwise they
joined two different camps and ultimately causing the dissolution of that
setup. 
The
new CBO i.e. Tanzeem-e-Nasle Nau Hazara Mughal, literally meaning “Organization
of Hazara Mughal's new generation”, had accommodated all the aims and
objectives stated by diminishing HWO with wider range of dynamic and
progressive future vision. However the basic difference at the time of
commencement between the two were:
1. As per name of the organization the managerial staff and office bearers were all youths under 25 years of ages. In this regard they had imposed limit of age for membership in the managerial setup.
2. Instead of nominating particular individuals they started an open campaign for the purpose of fund raising. Ordinary membership of the organization could be obtained by contributing Rs. 2/= per month to the organization which was open for all.
3.
They were committed volunteers and
with the enthusiasms and ambitious which possessed them, they were more
practical than the workers of the HWO. They started tuition classes for
children of all ages, even adult literacy programs, while they themselves were
volunteer teachers. They would take out small arranged processions consisting
of their students and workers carrying banners inscribed mostly with two
prominent slogans one “Death to separatists, dividing us into clans”, two “We
are but one integrated Hazaras”. 
Within five years of its establishment Tanzeem, as a social welfare almost every person within the community recognized organization. By then it had enlisted more than 1000 ordinary members who would contribute the monthly membership fee regularly. In 1972 it had shifted to its present offices. A religious establishment Anjuman-e-Asna Asharia Mcongi Road on certain terms and conditions leased this piece of vacant plot to it. However the said religious Association, some how or the other on the instigation of some local clergies did try to nullify the leas deed.
Some explanations is needed here for proper comprehension of this situation. Prior to 1977 the Shiat clergies disposing their religious obligations were mostly Hazaras from Afghanistan. After completion of their primary level course in their local religious schools mostly a Mosque in the locality they had attended some Madras (Howza) in Iran. Common people as the most respected center of Shiat faith have always considered by Shiat clergies and under their influence Iran as a Shiat state. May be more than Vatican City to Roman Catholics. After the establishment of Tanzeem, their opposition of Tanzeem, void of any motive was mere criticism of this organization. Tanzeem's cultural activities, particularly musical stage shows were Un-Islamic for them hence sinful deeds. During this period (Monarch's Rule) Iran's official dealing with there clergies were very limited. The consulate general of Iran in Quetta and his Iranian staff would attend religious gathering, make donations for the construction of Mosques and had donated precious sets of carpets to two of the Mosques as well. The situation became more intense, when in 1975 Tanzeem while launching its program of construction of a free medical center for women and children did mention the number of Mosques present in the locality. While highlighting the need for construction of such a center, I being one of the speakers of the occasion said, " We are residing within a limited area, and we have constructed more than eleven number of Mosques here, now it is the time that we should have a medical center as well". This was a general public meeting attended by number of Hazara formally invited dignities as well. As the occasion was the first direct interaction of Tanzeem Youth with Hazara elderly people, it was quite an achievement for Tanzeem, because not only public donation was made but the plan was appreciated fully. However the reference made to number of Mosques did not go unnoticed in the clergy circles. It was interpreted by them as Tanzeem's disliking of Mosques hence an antireligious attitude. No doubt this cold war between Tanzeem and clergies. The clergies approached some of the donors and told them that they could not donate towards Tanzeem's fund out of religious pooled money. According to Shiat School of faith every individual has to pay annually one fifth of his total projected balance to his choice high ranking clergy. Known as Mujtahid or Ayatullah. This is one of the five basic compulsory obligations to be fulfilled by Shiat believers; the Ayatullah or his appointed representative is the sole authority to disperse the amount, thus pooled to needy ones and religious causes. The individual payer to be dispensed to legible needy person by himself can retain a fixed portion of this amount. In that particular situation Tanzeem was declared by clergies as illegible and therefore deprived of a nice source of income.
One of the political doctrine advocated by leaders of the new Islamic Government of Iran after the successful revolution was "Islam does not recognize political and geographical boundaries". While advocating this doctrine they, including their spiritual supreme leader late Ayatullah Khumeini declared segmentation of Muslim Umma (Muslim was a Whole) into Arab, non-Arab, tribes and ethnic identities as contrary to Islamic principles of Muslim unity. They condemned categorically every one who would talk of such identities. Within one to two years of Islamic rule in Iran the Shiat clergies in Quetta had already joined movement for the implementation of Shiat jurisprudence in Pakistan, a Shiat resistance movement against government’s Islamaization of Pakistan in line with the doctrines of Sunnic school of Thought. By 1980-82 the first ever established Shiat Theology college, totally funded by Iran, next to Tanzeem's main office, had become fully functional. Fresh Hazara graduates from Iran’s Islamic university of Qum and Mashhad were the appointed academic staff. A Pakistan wide students wing of the said “Shiat movement under the title of “Imamia Student Organization” was opposing Tanzeem’s agenda of unity under the pretext of Umma unity as preached by Iran. A full scale anti Tanzeem propaganda war was launched with clergies as focal persons. On july 19th 1986 during a clash between the Pro Tanzeem students and the activists of Imamia Student Organization the leader of the former group was assassinated brutally.
The accident proved to be a vital point for Tanzeem. By that time Tanzeem had expended its sub offices in some other towns of Pakistan and one in Denmark as well. From this point on ward Tanzeem had to face much more complex situation than it had envisaged. It had to carryout its promised agendas and it had to defend itself against all odds. The worst being the fact that it was claiming to be the champion of Hazara unity but its very existence was causing division amongst Hazara Youth in particular. The undesirable situation for Tanzeem reached its climax, during Russian intervention in Afghanistan. Tanzeem volunteers would go inside Afghanistan to disperse relief goods in areas where they needed these. A religious decree (Fitwa) under the signature of 10 prominent clergies of Hazaras included two from Quetta was circulated all over the areas visited by Tanzeem workers. The Fitwa was addressed to common Mujahideen and their leaders mostly clergies, without discrimination of ethnicity. It said, "Killing of Tanzeem boys, wherever found in Afghanistan shall be a service to Islam and God Almighty. This is an organization of unfaithfuls based at Quetta. Following are the names of their leaders. The hand written Fitwa, then contained the names of 9 important figures of Tanzeem beginning with the name of Chair Person G.A. Haideri at the top.
Now there are important question for NGOs, can they afford such opposition from the people for whom they are committed to work? Is it possible to avoid such situation through comprehensive knowledge? Particularly when nations of the world, from region and out side, are involved too? What is it, fair or fowl? To stand against the very people, whom one claims to be working for? Or may be everything is fair in war and love and commitment is another expression of love.
Political implications
Tanzeem in its capacity as a social welfare organization did not contain direct involvement in politics, as one of its sphere of activities. But politics, for all practical purposes, in this region, as for as general public is concerned, has remained confined within the folds of very specified and limited activities. Irrespective of party manifestoes or programs voters are drawn to ballot boxes through exploitation of differences. These ever-existing differences, void of rationales, are deep rooted in the history and are passed on to coming generations. It does not need to be elected for national or provincial parliament seat, but contest for a seat in the municipal cooperation trigger the same sentiments. As already discussed that the immediate cause for dissolution of Hazara Welfare Society was the division of its member into two opposing camps of electioneers. The general election of 1977 in Pakistan initiated the same phenomenon for Tanzeem. In the said general election, Tanzeem's prominent member in their individual capacities as a member of this or that Hazara clan would not dare to ignore clan's decision in favor or against some contesting candidates. In closed tribal societies of Pakistan and Afghanistan one may accept the wrath of God but to face the curse of one's own lineage is beyond imagination. In the aftermath of the said election a tangible number of its members belonging to a particular subsection of the community, not only ceased to work with Tanzeem but became sort of anti Tanzeem too. The phenomenon did repeat itself whenever there was an election.
While defending itself against elements from out side, Tanzeem had to bear a fierce blow from its own supporter within its ranks. They were a group of workers, who fell in the grip of conspiracy which led to subservient role of anti-Tanzeem. Not endorsing Tanzeem's slow and steady agenda for social awareness and national cause they had organized themselves into another Tanzeem within Tanzeem. And when they failed in their attempt to change Tanzeem from a national orientation into one of radical political setup, they quitted it. Besides these there can also be a number of other reasons including regional political scenario, for the development of this situation.
Describing Tanzeem’s achievements in terms of its aims and objectives, inspired by Tanzeem, now there are numbers of CBO's working in smaller vicinities. As the founder member of most of these has enjoyed membership in Tanzeem, these organizations are basically perusing the very lines set by Tanzeem. They have concentrated more and more on promotion of education in their localities. Women participation, in other than religious gatherings, once strictly forbidden, now, as a result of Tanzeem's social action plans, is at par with male presence. The role of elderly persons as the sole leadership within clans and subsections of the community has changed. Now they not only seek the view of younger generations, but in some of the situation, final decisions are made by youths only. Just 30 years back any one wearing the particular robe and turbans of Mullas could be respected as authorized clergy, but today not only they are placed in categories of well learned, learned and simple literate, but they can be refuted, criticized and challenged even by common community members. It does not mean that they have lost all their authorities, but they cannot lead the people as they wish. It is true that such changes can be termed as out come of urban life, but equally true is the fact that Tanzeem had kindled the first spark in this regard.
Another of its achievement is the fact that the Hazaras of today in Afghanistan are not shy to identify himself as Hazara. In Dec 1904, King Habibullah of Kabul had announced some concession for Hazaras, but in practice the treatment of these people as out casts and second class citizen, by Afghan officers, ordinary officials and by common Non-Hazaras till soviet intervention in 1979 continued. In fact Hazaras were the worst marginalized section of the Afghan society. Deprived of all social facilities and having no sociopolitical status, these people were ridiculed and humiliated every where in that country. Referring to them as Hazara mice eaters, Hazara scavengers, Hazara load carriers and such other odium, have resulted in alienation of these people. They would hide their identity as Hazaras, would not speak in their original mother tongue and would ridicule some of their cultural practices even themselves. There were Pakistani Hazaras who upon meeting a fresh arrival from Afghanistan, not only would cut jokes but express his view of him in a disgusting manner. By negating their roots these Pakistani Hazaras were creating another conflicting point, which would ultimately end in bringing further division within these people.
Tanzeem’s campaign for the integration of Hazaras into one unit, though did not bring the desired results, yet it was successful enough to eliminate the elements of alienation from within Hazaras at large. And once again, for example playing of Damboora and singing of Hazara folk songs revived on occasion of childbirth and marriage ceremonies. Singing of Hazargi folk songs on Damboora was not only forgotten but would be ridiculed by presenting it in prodigal forms. True, in the process of acculturation, replacement of some social activities by another practice is, an accepted phenomenon, but to be scornful against it is off course alienation.
Present conflicts and Tanzeem
Quetta, where Hazaras of Pakistan live, is the first major city of Pakistan for any one coming from Afghanistan and Iran. Hazaras constitute only 5-7% of the total population of this town. As Pakistanees they share the sorrows and happiness of Pakistan with the rest of the country. But being Shiat they are to feel the impact of changes and happenings in Iran particularly through religious circles. Now that these clergies are well organized, well funded have introduced certain changes in their activities by sponcering and establishing not only NGO’s and school, how long tanzeem with all its limitations is going to match them. Again Hazaras here are not immune to effects of situation created in Afghanistan because of their ethnic affliction with Hazaras of that country. In an atmosphere, where all sorts of prejudices, conflicts and discrimination-ethnic, religious, sectarian, political and socioeconomic-prevail, its quite a challenge to cope with the problems of a minor community such as that of Hazaras in Quetta. Here is again the question how far commitment can work and to what extant knowledge could prove helpful in a situation like this. Tanzeem, in spite of the fact that the situation is still very fluid in the region, has developed a vision for sustainable peace and security. It contains the creation of Peace-loving Human Society, through promotion of education, elimination of religious, ethnic social and sectarian conflicts and inculcation of human values as envisaged by human himself i.e. freedom, equality and justice for all. We believe that dialogue, more dialogue and still more dialogue between conflicting groups, is the only solution. Yet again, to avoid clash of civilizations, dialogue is possible, but what to do with the clash of interests, more interests and still more interests.
