MIRPUR (AJK), Apr 21 (APP): The people in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Monday commemorated 86th death anniversary of the Poet of the East and great philosopher Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal with the renewal of pledge to continue their just and principled struggle for liberation of Indian-illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) from the unlawful manacles of the forced Indian rule and make Pakistan a true forward-looking and fast-developing Muslim state in line with thoughts of the great poet of the east.
Born in 1877 in ancient Punjab’s city of Sialkot, Allama Muhammad Iqbal died this day of April 21 in 1938.
The various cultural, political and social organizations hosted impressive ceremonies comprising seminars in various AJK cities to highlight the services rendered by the great visionary of 20th century and to pay homage to the Poet of the East.
Special congregations comprising a grand poetic sittings (Mahaafil e Mushaira) to mark the death anniversary of Allama Iqbal besides to pay tributes to the poet philosopher were held in various parts of AJK. The poets and the scholars on this occasion highlighted the importance of high intellect and pen of the poet philosopher Allama Iqbal for the betterment, uplift, self respect and sovereignty of the humanity and human values in line with the teachings of Islam and the Islamic values.
The participants emphasized the need of acting upon the sayings of the poet philosopher who envisioned the idea of the emergence of separate home land for the Muslims of South Asia Pakistan to maintaining the sovereignty, integrity, progress and prosperity of the country.
The participants also offered Fateha for the departed soul praying for the solidarity, integrity and prosperity of the country besides for the early success of the Kashmiris struggle for freedom of Indian Illegally occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK).
In Mirpur, the speakers paid glorious tributes to the poet philosopher at a special ceremony hosted jointly at media corner at Sajid Plaza Tower by Jammu Kashmiri Union of Journalists and Jammu Kashmir Free Media Association (JKFMA) to mark the death anniversary of the poet of the east with due respect.
It was attended among others by renowned physician-cum-research scholar Dr. Khalid Yousaf, renowned writer of books on social issues and humanity Raja Ejaz Salim, senior Kashmiri journalists A.H.Nizami Sohrab Ahmed Khan, Ali Akhter Salim, Muhammad Imran Chaudhry, Latif Ghous and others.
The speakers paid tributes to the Kashmir-born world-fame poet of the east Allama Iqbal to acknowledge his services for floating the idea of a separate homeland for the Muslims of sub-continent, Pakistan, which later emerged in the name of Islam under the dynamic leadership of Hazrat Quaid–e–Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Paying glorious tributes Iqbal, who mobilized the Muslims of subcontinent through his poetry for an independent Islamic country, they said that Pakistan could achieve a clear distinction in political, economic, social and religious spheres if we followed the thought and philosophy of great poet, Allama Muhammad Iqbal in true spirit.
They said though Allama Iqbal’s dream about emergence of separate homeland for the Muslim population of the subcontinent – the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was materialized under the great sole leadership of Quaid-e-Azam in 1947 by creating Pakistan, adding “We could not achieve the level of thoughts and actions as desired by the great poet and the father of the nation.”
The speakers said that the basis of Iqbal’s philosophy was Islam and according to him, the fundamentals of Islamic model were the people, independence and conscience.
“According to Allama Iqbal, Islamic society has no room for the monarchy and religious headship and even he disliked these”, Dr. Amin recalled the sayings of the poet philosopher.
The speakers underlined that the unity of Muslims from Nile to Kashghar was Iqbal’s message so that the Islamic world might emerge as a force against the political, economic and social imperialism in the world and serve purely for the human welfare.
They said Iqbal’s idea of Pakistan was linked with the philosophical system, he had revealed.
The speakers observed that Iqbal had desired to see the system with no discrimination in name of cast, creed and religion and purely aimed at human welfare.
A delegation of the elders of Lahore-based Kashmiris, under the leadership of an eminent Kashmiri rights activist and scholar Khawaja Abuzar Nizami visited the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal and laid floral wreaths on behalf of Jammu and Kashmir state people.