Hazara Graveyard is the oldest and most historic graveyards in Baluchistan. It is situated in the foot of Mordar Mountain. Hazara Graveyard as written on its main gate is specifically allocated for Hazara people all over the world. This graveyard is very wide as it ranges till ones eye sight can seek.
Hazara Graveyard was formed in 1898.The oldest grave in Hazara graveyard is Syed Mehmood Agha’s .There are many graves in the Hazara Graveyard each indicating a history or the bitter realities of life. You will find graves having good cemetery work on it. Very few graves are worth seeing like the one we have seen. It’s having a marble work. It has katba which tells you about the dead, below the grave you can see Quranic verses engraved. This seems to be the grave of some rich person who wants to be seemed as rich even after death. There are many indications in the Hazara Graveyard telling you about the identity of the graves.Graves having Black Flag (Allam) on them are thought to be the graves of Syed Hazaras. In the same way there are many sections in the graveyard telling you about the people buried in them,like a section allocated for Hazara Shaheeds of July, 1985.Similarly there is a Shohada Section for the Hazara people who have been targeted in various sectarian killings on various dates. The Shohada Section is called Sar e Khakay Shaheeda. This section is really well organized. You can see the framed pictures of Shuhadas upon their graves. There are many trees planted here to give the best look to the Shohada Section. You will find a big Allam in Shuda section .Not only Hazaras but people from all over the Quetta visits Shohada section, offer flowers and Fatiha. It is believed here that you can ask anything from Allah by making the Shuhadas your medium of pray and Allah will definitely listen to your voice. There are many knots tied to the big Allam. These knots are tied for making wishes come true. Once they are fulfilled then you have to bring back some eating item like snacks or fruits as offering for thankfulness. Shohada Section is getting bigger day by day. Its growth is one of the major changes Hazara graveyard has seen in recent years.Another interesting place to see in Hazara Graveyard is that monument which is built in the memory of all those Hazara Pakistan Army officers and Jawans who were martyred gallantly in Indo Pak wars and whose bodies were not recovered from battle field.This Monument has unique pencil shape.
As readers know that Hazara Jawans are Serving Pak army for decades,Thier graves in Hazara graveyard with motherland’s green flag makes one so proud.
Captain Samad Ali Shaheed (Indo Pak war 1971), Captain Mohammad Ali Shaheed (Kargil War 1998) and Captain Zulfiqar Ali Shaheed (Kargil War 1998) are the pride of Hazara Nation who defended Pakistan with exemplary bravery and laid to rest in Hazara Graveyard.
Hazara graveyard has completed its century and hence seen some historic famous people.Sardar Mohammad Isa and Sardar Mohammad Ishaq graves are just among those historic personalities.These Hazara Sardar Brothers were the prominent Pakistan Movement leaders. Quaid e Azam appreciated Sardar Isa’s services for Pakistan Movement in Quetta. These fortunate Sardar brothers have their great mother’s grave just beside them.
Moreover while roaming around Hazara Graveyard you can’t ignore Hazara’s political party’s main leader Mohammad Hussain Yosufi Shaheed’s Shrine. It is really built well paying tribute to the Shaheed leader because of his services for the nation. Mohammad Hussain Yousufi was targeted by sectarian extremists.
Last but not the least; let us tell you some additional information about Hazara Graveyard.
Hazara Graveyard is one of the cleanest and most “alive” graveyards of country. Men and women can visit the graveyard at any day of the week but Friday is fixed for women.Many teenage boys will offer you to pour water on the graves of your loved ones. You have to pay them 15 to 25 rupees for this very innocent service. You can observe many old men setting all over the graveyard. They recite Quran for benefit of the dead. You can pay them as much as you desire to recite the Quranic Verses for residents of this silent city.
Hazara Graveyard also owns the service for dead place situated in the centre of the graveyard.The security arrangement at Hazara Graveyard is exceptional which shows people’s deep insecurity due to unsatisfactory law and order situation.
