JEDDAH, 22 April — Eminent poet Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal, who conceived the idea of Pakistan, was paid glowing tributes at a function organized at Kababish Restaurant here by the Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) on Friday.
The function held to mark the 63rd anniversary of Iqbal drew a large number of participants and speakers. The chief guest on the occasion was Arab News Editor in Chief Khaled Al-Maeena who dwelt on the need to adhere to Iqbal’s message.
Al-Maeena said Pakistan had highly talented people and those working overseas had proved that. Overseas Pakistanis have contributed significantly to the development of the countries they are based in, he said. He observed that a strong and honest leadership at home could exploit their talent and use it in the development of the country.
Al-Maeena stressed that youths should be provided the opportunity to keep pace with the developments and grow up as worthy citizens. He said Pakistanis should also help their government tide over financial problems, bring an end to the feudal system and revamp the political structure.
He praised the PRC for organizing the function and said the issue of stranded Pakistanis and Kashmir deserved due attention as people in both the cases had been suffering for long. Al-Maeena also distributed copies of a book written by Dr. Prince Faisal ibn Mishal ibn Saud and translated into Urdu by Taher Siddik ibn Muhammad Siddik. It is a thought-provoking and informative booklet which says how we can gain greater favors from Allah by expressing our gratitude to Him for all the great gifts He has bestowed on mankind.
Another speaker, Sardar Rahmat Khan of the Kashmir Committee paid tributes to Iqbal and called for sinking “our differences and forging unity.” He regretted that Punjabis, Sindhis and Muhajirs were holding conferences as separate entities which was detrimental to national unity. Khan said India would not be able to subjugate the Kashmiris fighting for their right to self-determination for long. He also called for early repatriation of stranded Pakistanis from Bangladesh.
Ehsanul Haq, the convener of PRC, said Iqbal’s message inspired Muhammad Ali Jinnah and gave a fillip to the Pakistan Movement that culminated in the creation of Pakistan. He stressed the need to forge unity and translate the dream of Iqbal into reality by eschewing differences and shunning parochial feelings. He said those at the helm of affairs in Islamabad should take steps to repatriate and rehabilitate the stranded Pakistanis who have been languishing in Bangladesh camps for the past 30 years.
Another speaker Farhan Siddiqui urged all Pakistanis to extend financial help to the stranded people to alleviate their suffering. He said the inordinate delay in their repatriation was adding to their misery.
Muhammad Abdur Rafi in his speech said Pakistan is a country that belongs to all Muslims and it was the duty of every Muslim to safeguard the country.
Naseem Sahar read out a paper detailing the contribution of Iqbal in the creation of a separate homeland for Muslims of the subcontinent.
Poets Mohsin Alvi, Abdul Qayyum Mobin, Athar Abbasi and Habib Siddiqui recited their poems.
Two resolutions were adopted at the end of the function. The first resolution called on Chief Executive Gen. Pervez Musharraf to start the repatriation of stranded Pakistanis and consider the PRC proposal that envisages the repatriation of the stranded people on self-help basis.
The second resolution condemned India for perpetrating atrocities on Kashmiris and said the only solution to the problem was giving the Kashmiris the right to self-determination.