Altaf Hamid Rao.
MIRPUR (AJK), (Parliament Times) : Azad Jammu & Kashmir Wednesday observed 83rd death anniversary of Kashmir-origin poet of the east Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal with the renewal of pledge to continue their just and principled struggle for liberation of occupied Jammu & Kashmir from the unlawful manacles of the forced Indian rule and to make Pakistan a true forward-looking Muslim state in line with thoughts of the great poet philosopher.
Various cultural, political and social organizations hosted simple but impressive gatherings comprising seminars in various AJK cities within the parameters of the set SOPs in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic spell, to highlight the services rendered by the great visionary of 20th century and to pay homage to Poet of the East.
Special ceremonies comprising a grand poetic sitting (Mehfil e Mushaira) to mark the death anniversary of Iqbal besides to pay tribute 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 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 Illegally occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
In Mirpur speakers paid glorious tributes to the poet philosopher at a special ceremony hosted jointly here on Wednesday by UK-based Global Pakistan Kashmir Supreme Council (GPKSC) and the Jammu Kashmir Writers Forum to mark the death anniversary of the poet of the east with due respect and honour with the GPKSC Chairman Raja Sikander Khan, currently on official visit of Pakistan and AJK in the Chair.
It was attended among others by the Jammu Kashmir Writers Forum’s Supremo Mirza Zaid Ullah, Secretary General Muhammad Farooq Jiraal, President of the Forum Sajid Tahir, Qazi Abdul Wahab, renowned writer of books on social issues and humanity Raja Ejaz Salim, Altaf Hamid Rao, Sohrab Ahmed Khan, Ali Akhter Salim, Muhammad Imran, Latif Ghous and others.
Speakers paid rich tributes to the Kashmir-born world-fame poet of the east Allama Iqbal in 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 sole 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, the GPKSC Chairman Raja Sikander Khan said that Pakistan could achieve a clear distinction in political, economic, social and religious spheres if we follow the thought and philosophy of great poet, Allama Muhammad Iqbal in true spirit.
He said though Allama Iqbal’s dream about Pakistan had been materialized under the great sole leadership of Quaid-e-Azam in 1947 by creating Pakistan, we could not achieve the level of thoughts and actions as desired by the great poet and the father of the nation.
He 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 had no room for the monarchy and religious headship and even he disliked these”, Sikander recalled the sayings of the poet philosopher.
The GPKSC Chairman underlined that the unity of Muslims from Nile to Kashghar was Iqbal’s message so that the Islamic world may emerge as a force against the political, economic and social imperialism in the world and serve purely for the human welfare.
Other speakers including the Jammu & Kashmir Writers Forum’s Chief Mirza Zaid Ullah (Retired District and Session Judge ), Secretary General Farooq Jiraal and others said Iqbal’s idea of Pakistan was linked with the philosophical system, he had revealed.
They said that Iqbal had desired to see the system with no discrimination in name of cast, creed and religion and purely aimed at human welfare. He also declared this system as basis for the unity of Islamic world.
Speakers said Iqbal was the real advocate of the divine and eternal message of Islam.
To Iqbal, seeking knowledge and continuity of constant struggle were the real objectives of Life and compliance with the teachings of Holy Quranic was must to achieve these goals, said eminent Kashmiri poet and writer Farooq Jaral paying rich tributes to Iqbal. He added that “Iqbal’s philosophy guided us in this regard which also helped us achieve Pakistan and also guaranteed our survival and progress and prosperity”.
A delegation of the AJK people from Mirpur, under the leadership of Lahore-based eminent Kashmiri rights activist and Chairman Jammu Kashmir Human Rights Commission Humayoon Zaman Mirza visited the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal in Lahore Wednesday morning and laid floral wreaths at the mazar to pay homage to great poet philosopher – besides offering fateha for the departed soul
