JEDDAH, 19 November 2006 — The Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) organized a function here on Wednesday night to mark the birth anniversary of eminent poet Allama Iqbal.

Speakers called for more research on Iqbal and his books be taught in schools, colleges and at the university level. The meeting adopted resolutions calling on the United Nations, the US and the international community to press India to hold plebiscite in Kashmir.

The resolutions also urged President Pervez Musharraf to reactivate the Rabita Trust and implement the PRC’s self-finance proposal for the repatriation and rehabilitation of stranded Pakistanis. The PRC proposal calls for issuing passports to the heads of some 40,000 families living in Bangladesh camps and help them find jobs in the Middle East.

Another resolution demanded the inclusion of the Bihari issue on the agenda of the OIC meeting slated for Nov. 27 in Islamabad. It also urged Islamabad to assign its high commissioner in Bangladesh to look after the stranded Pakistanis until they are repatriated to Pakistan.

The resolution asked charitable organizations — Edhi Trust, MQM welfare wing, Jamaat-e-Islami, Muslim League and Tehrik-e-Insaf — to help alleviate the suffering of the stranded people.

Javed Akhtar, minister at the Pakistan Consulate General in Jeddah, who was the chief guest paid rich tribute to Iqbal saying the poet was a great visionary and an intellectual. His message had a universal appeal and it encompassed religious, political and scientific aspects of life.

Dr. Monawar Hashmi, who presided over the function, said the West understood the message of Iqbal very well. He stressed the need for more work on Iqbal to have a better understanding of his message. Understanding Iqbal would fulfill the objective of the creation of Pakistan, he said. Rauf Tahir said people struggling for their legitimate rights get inspiration and strength from Iqbal’s poetry.

PRC convener Ehsanul Haq said it was Iqbal’s vision and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s determination and perseverance that led to the creation of Pakistan. Unfortunately, he said, the country lost its eastern wing in 1971 and those who sacrificed everything for Pakistan were left to languish in camps in a hostile country. This is also against the message of Iqbal whom we revere so much.

Jameel Rathore, Maqboolur Rahman Abbasi and Waseem Shahid paid tribute to the poet and called for following his teachings to make Pakistan a truly welfare state. Other speakers and guests included Azeez Ahmed, secretary-general, Pakistan Engineers Society, Asad Akram and Abu Farhan Siddiqui. Naseem Sehar conducted the function.