Early history
Pre-Independence (1937–1947)
Hazara Club Quetta was established in 1937. [1] During a period when the Hazara community was organized around traditional structures such as the Khanwada (family), tribe, and ethnic lineage. Five individuals, Babu Qasim Ali, Haji Nasir Ali Khan, Haji Ghulam Haider, Muhammad Issa, and Nowruz Ali Babul, came together to establish the Hazara Football Club. [2]
The team was associated with the 106th Hazara Pioneers, a regiment established in 1904, which also participated in rifle shooting and hockey. [2] However, following its disbandment in 1933 due to political changes, The sense of sport fell, which was eventually picked up with football.
The club played in several competitions in the Indian subcontinent in the early 1940s. [3] [4] [5]
The club went on to win titles such as the All-India Wickham Cup in 1945, and the All-India Quaid-e-Azam Tournament in 1946 where teams like New Delhi Heroes, Usmania Club from Peshawar played in. [2] They made the final of the 1946 Punjab National Bank Golden Jubilee All-India Football Tournament which they won, the final was attended by Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Post-Independence (1947–1960s)
After Pakistan's Independence in 1947, the club continued to field talents such as Qayyum Changezi, Abdul Wahid Durrani, Ahmed Ali, Safdar Ali Babul who was both a footballer and a hockey player who represented Pakistan Hockey Team at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
The team played in the regional Quetta Football League. [6] [7] [8] The club won the Pakistan Inter-Province Soccer Tournament, and also the All Pakistan Saint John Tournament which was a regional football tournament held in Quetta, that they had also won several times. [9] [10] [11] [12] By the early 50s to 60s, The club solidified itself as one of the best clubs from Quetta, winning several championships across the country, fostering players such as Qayyum Changezi and Younas Changezi.
In 1956, the team travelled to Iran, they left by Zahedan railway station and were invited to play exhibition matches in Abadan, Iran against Bargh Shiraz. [13]
In the 1960s, majority of the Quetta Divisional team that participated in the National Football Championship were players from Hazara Club Quetta. [14]
The club continued to play in many tournaments in the 1960s. [15] [16] [17] [18]
Rise (1970s–2000s)
During the 1970s, Hazara Club went on to win several regional, divisional, international trophies. In 1977, The club appointed former captain and international player Ahmed Ali as a coach. He served the club as coach until 2003. During his tenure, it is said that around 30 Hazara players emerged to international status. He was also the one of the most successful coaches in the history of the club, winning around 17 invitational, regional, and domestic trophies from 1977 till 2003.
Later years
The club went on to feature in several tournaments across Pakistan. [19] [20] [21]