JEDDAH, 30 December 2003 — Pakistani speakers called for solving the issues of Kashmiris and stranded Pakistanis, and condemned the terrorist attack on their President Pervez Musharraf, at a meeting held to commemorate the services of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah recently.

The meeting, hosted by the Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) to observe the 127th birth anniversary of the founder of Pakistan, also prayed for the country’s stability.

Veteran Pakistani Syed Ghazanfar Ali presided the meeting with Zahid Hussain, a contemporary of Jinnah, as the chief guest.

Other speakers and guests included Syed Ashfaque Mazhar, Mohammad Ashfaque, Maqboolur Rahman Abbasi, Amir Mohammad Khan, Rauf Tahir, Asad Akram, Farhan Siddiqui and poets Abdul Qayyum Waseq, Mohsin Alavi, Zamurrad Saifi and Aftab Turrabi.

Messages of Islamic Development Bank chief Dr. Ahmed Mohammad Ali and Pakistan Consul General Masood Akhtar were read at the meeting conducted by Hamid Islam Khan.

Zahid Hussain recalled a meeting that was presided by Quaid-e-Azam in 1947 in Lahore. “Although I was a small child at that time, I remember the enthusiasm of the people to listen to him and shower their love on their leader. Jinnah enjoyed the support of all Muslims of the subcontinent.”

Syed Ghazanfar Ali and Maqboolur Rahman referred to Jinnah’s leadership that resulted in the creation of Pakistan. Syed Ashfaque Mazhar said Jinnah wanted to establish a true Islamic state on the basis of Qur’an and Sunnah.

Ehsanul Haque said Jinnah worked on the dream of Allama Iqbal and the trust of sub-continent Muslims. “However , we could not save Quaid’s Pakistan and lost half the country in 1971. It’s a tragedy that till today we could not give them their rightful Pakistani citizenship in spite of their sacrifices for the country.”

He appreciated the support of Dr. Jawaid Iqbal, Majeed Nizami, Mahmood Shaam, and Athar Hashmi in projecting and proposing to solve the issue of stranded Pakistanis.

Farhan Siddiqui gave details of support extended to the stranded Pakistanis in the camps of Bangladesh. He appealed to all Pakistanis to extend assistance to those patriotic Pakistanis.

Renowned poets Zamurrad Saifi, Mohsin Alavi, Aftab Turrabi and Abdul Qayyum Wasiq paid rich tributes to Quaid-e-Azam.