PESHAWAR, Nov 09 (APP):Like others parts of the country, people of Khyber Pakthunkhwa including merged tribal districts on Tuesday celebrated the 144th birth anniversary of the national poet, Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal with national zeal.
The day dawned with special prayers in mosques for progress and prosperity of the country and eternal peace of all martyrs of Pakistan’s Movement and those who laid their lives for the country. Known as Poet of East, Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal was born at Sialkot in Punjab on November 9, 1877.
He awakened the Muslims of the subcontinent through his heart-touching universal poetry and political acumen by presenting a clear idea of creation of Pakistan through his historic address at Allabad in 1930.
Dr. Iqbal’s address at Allabad had given a clear direction and separate identity to the Muslims of the sub-continent to achieve our homeland. Dr Iqbal’s dream inspired the Muslims to get united under the dynamic leadership of father of the nation Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Lahore on March 23, 1940 where they passed the historic Pakistan Resolution, which led to creation of Pakistan on August 14, 1947 on world map.
Besides KP Government, political, culture, educational and literary organizations organized special programs including debate competitions to highlight his matchless political and poetic services to infuse a new spirit in the Muslims to achieve a separate homeland.
In his message on Iqbal Day, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shah Farman said the great philosopher and Poet of the East had given the concept of a separate homeland among the Muslims of the subcontinent at Allababad in 1930. He said the poetry of Dr Allama Iqbal had stressed on self respect, unity and cohesion among the Muslim Ummah and showed the path of success especially the youth through his universal poetry.
The Governor said his philosophy and poetic verses were based on collective betterment and prosperity of the Muslims and his Khudi (self respect) message was universal. To cope with the challenges of the present era, the Governor said they had to understand the philosophy of self respect presented by Dr Allama Iqbal, adding, his unparalleled poetry was being taught and understood in the world.
In his message on 144th birth anniversary of the legendary poet, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mahmood Khan said our national poet, Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal was a great leader of the subcontinent who inculcated the spirit of freedom among hundreds of thousands of Muslims during the colonial era.
“Allama Iqbal had awakened the Muslims from ignorance through his enlightened and foresighted poetry and leadership qualities that infused the spirit of a separate nation among them. He said the views and message of Dr Allama Iqbal proved a ray of hope for the Muslims and guided them in the right direction to rectify their ways to achieve the goal of separate homeland.
“He was not only the leader of the Muslims of subcontinent but for the whole Muslim Ummah.” Through his poetry, Dr Muhammad Iqbal discouraged the trend of dominance of caste, creed and taught the lesson of unity and brotherhood among the Muslims, the Chief Minister said, adding, in today’s era they needed to follow the motto of Dr Iqbal to face all the contemporary challenges.
To make our country a true Islamic welfare state, he said it was need of the hour that they follow the sayings and message of Allama Iqbal in its true sense, adding, the incumbent government was endeavoring to make Pakistan a great Islamic welfare state as envisioned by the great poet philosopher.
A debate competition was held at a local school where speakers threw light on the life and philosophy of the charismatic poet. Speaking on the occasion Malaika Khan said Allama Muhammad Iqbal was a great leader, philosopher, intellectual and poet of the Muslims of Sub-Continent whose poetry, ideology and philosophy was a beacon of light for Muslims Ummah in general and people of Pakistan in particular.
She said Dr Allama Iqbal had created a new wave of patriotism and spirit of serving humanity in Muslims of the subcontinent during Pakistan Movement. Anaya Bibi said Dr Iqbal had discouraged discrimination on the basis of colour, caste and creed besides emphasized the need for unity of Muslim Ummah to achieve the goals of independence from British and Indian yoke.
She said Dr Iqbal’s ideology and principles of life were the best source of inspiration for people in all sectors of life by strictly adhering to his lesson of Khudi (ego) and preservation of national identity. The print and electronic media published special articles, columns, features while TV channels and Radio Pakistan aired special documentaries to highlight his meritorious political, poetic and other literary services.