Participants at the PRC meeting in Jeddah.

Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) recalled the services of Pakistan’s thinker, poet and philosopher Allama Mohammad Iqbal on the occasion of his 139th birth anniversary. Iqbal was born on Nov. 9, 1877 in Sialkot.

Ali Al-Ghamdi, a former diplomat, who presided, said Iqbal’s message through his poetry and philosophy was not limited to Muslims of the subcontinent but in fact the entire Muslim world.

Many of Iqbal’s poems were translated into Arabic and rendered by Umme Kulthum and many Arabs knew Pakistan through the poet-philosopher.

Al-Ghamdi read the Arabic version of Iqbal’s popular poem Shikwa and Jawab-e-Shikwa, and said: “The poet’s thought was transformed into the creation of Pakistan under the charismatic leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah and I wonder how you (Pakistanis) forgot to adhere to his message.”

He said it is unfortunate that in Iqbal and Jinnah’s Pakistan, a quarter million Pakistanis remain stranded in Bangladesh.

He said that he was happy that the Pakistani Senate has created a special committee to look into their settlement issue. “I hope that it will take urgent measures to end their miserable camp life,” he said.

He also condemned the plight of Muslims of Burma, Kashmir and Palestine and regretted Organization of Islamic Cooperations’s weak handling of these critical issues, “since we don’t expect the UN to come forward to solve the issues of oppressed Muslims.”

Other guests at the event included Irfan Hashmi, president of Majliz-e-Iqbal; Azeez Ahmed, Mohammad Khalid Jawed of Pakistan Engineers Society; Mohammad Tayyab Mosani of Pakistan Memon Association; Mohammad Jameel Rathore, Maqbool-ur-Rahman Abbasi and Mohammad Amil Usmani of Pakistan Journalists Forum; Syed Ghazanfar Hassan; Mohammad Moizuddin; Fazal Ahmed Faizi of Engineers Welfare Forum (EWF); literary and community members Ilyas Meher; Naushad Usman and Behjat Najmi Zinjani.

Member of Kashmir Committee Choudhry Riaz Ghumman thanked Al-Ghamdi for advocating the case of Kashmiris and stranded Pakistanis. He said that Iqbal’s role in creation of Pakistan was pivotal which Jinnah achieved in a very short period. “We can solve all issues, including Kashmir and stranded Pakistanis, if we truly adhere to his message,” he said.

Poet Mohammad Ashfaque Badayuni said that Allama Iqbal’s message is universal.

General secretary of Pakistan Journalists Forum Mohammed Jamil Rathore said Iqbal’s message could unite all Pakistanis in today’s world.

Urdu writer Saeed Ahmed Khan read his write-up on Iqbal and his poetry.

Leader of Pakistan People’s Community Shamsuddin Altaf said Iqbal inspired the creation of Pakistan, which “we enjoy with pride and freedom.”

Urdu writer Mohammad Amanatullah praised Iqbal’s vision and said: “If we adhere to his teachings, we will be able to overcome all problems the nation is facing.”

Community members Mohammed Akram Agha, Syed Musarrat Khalil and PRC convener Syed Ehsanul Haque also spoke at the event.

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