JEDDAH, 9 May 2003 — Iqbal was not only the Poet of the East, nor was he for Muslims alone. But his message was universal and for all humanity, said Dr. Francis Lamand, the well-known lawyer and president of Islam and the West.
Lamand was presiding over a meeting here recently to mark Allama Iqbal Day organized by the Pakistan Repatriation Council.
About the repatriation of stranded Pakistanis, he said he had visited Islamabad and discussed the issue with officials there. He said he would visit Dhaka soon and try to meet Bangladesh officials. Lamand said he will try to resolve this issue.
Pakistani Consul Zahid Hussain, who was the chief guest, said Iqbal was not simply a poet but a philosopher and thinker whose ideology of Takhayyul (thought) brought people from individualism to the spirit of Muslim unity. “If we have to succeed we must adhere to Iqbal’s message,” he added.
Dr. Athar Saeed Naqvi, poet and educator, presented a paper on Iqbal’s philosophy and poetry which galvanized the Muslims of India to establish Pakistan.
PRC Convener Ehsanul Haque said Pakistan was established on the road map presented by Iqbal under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. “Without Iqbal’s message the idea of a separate Muslim country would never have been thought of,” he added.
Several other guests and local poets paid tribute to Iqbal. The meeting also adopted resolutions on the issues of Kashmir and stranded Pakistanis.