MIRPUR (AJK): Azad Jammu & Kashmir Saturday observed 80th death anniversary of poet of the east Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal with the renewal of the pledge to continue their just and principled struggle for liberation of occupied Kashmir from the clutches of Indian rule and to make Pakistan a true forward-looking Muslim state in line with thoughts of the great poet philosopher.
The poet philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal had born this day 20 years ago on April 21, 1938 in a middle class family at ancient Kashmiri mohallah in Sialkot. Over a century old ‘Iqbal Manzil’, his birth place – the ancestral home spreading over a tiny space of five-marlas of land at Kashmiri mohallah, has now been turned into a museum for the interest of the general masses from the world over including his admirers.
Various cultural, political and social organizations held meetings and seminars in various AJK cities to highlight the services rendered by the great visionary of 20th century and to pay homage to Poet of the East.
Special eremonies comprising a grand poetic sitting (Mehfil e Mushaira) to mark the death anniversary of Iqbal besides to pay rich tribute to the poet philosopher were held in various parts of AJK including the State’s metropolis on Saturday
The grand poetic gathering titled “Mehfil e Mushaira in the Backdrop of Kashmir Issue – on the Eve of Death Anniversary of Allama Iqbal”, was attended among others by the veteran Kashmiri literary personalities including poets and senior officials of the AJK government and the city elite
Besides presenting their respective poetry to mark the anniversary, 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 of the Muslims of South Asia – Pakistan, for maintaining the sovereignty, 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 occupied Kashmir.
In Mirpur speakers paid glorious tributes to the poet philosopher at a special ceremony hosted at Mian Muhammad Buksh Library by the head of the library Prof. Qazi Muhammad Zubair. It was attended among others by renowned writer of books on social issues and humanity Raja Ejaz Salim, Altaf Hamid Rao, Sohrab Ahmed Khan, Ali Akhter Salim, Kashmiri poet Farooq Jiraal, Muhammad Imran, Latif Ghous and others.
Local Newspapers also brought out special supplements on this occasion.
A delegation of the AJK people from Mirpur visited the mazar of Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal in Lahore and laid wreaths there to pay homage to great poet philosopher.