JEDDAH, 12 November 2007 — The Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) called on President Gen. Pervez Musharraf to reactivate the Rabita Trust and consider the PRC proposal concerning the repatriation and rehabilitation of stranded Pakistanis.
At a meeting to mark the anniversary of the birth of the poet, Allama Iqbal, speakers stressed the need to follow the teachings of Iqbal to overcome political and social problems facing the nation. The meeting adopted a resolution calling on the Pakistani political parties to give up the politics of violence and shutdowns and announce their agenda so that people can decide who to vote for in the forthcoming election.
The meeting appreciated President Musharraf’s statement regarding elections before Jan. 9 and his vow to quit his army post, but called for lifting the emergency, ending restrictions on media and making judiciary independent. It also urged media to be fair and carry out its professional duties without bias. The meeting congratulated President Musharraf on winning election with a huge margin.
The resolution also urged Islamabad to seek the help of UN and US for a permanent resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
Speakers paid tribute to Iqbal saying the poet’s message can provide solutions to most of the problems facing the Ummah. Poet Naseem Sehr, who presided over the function, said, “We can find solutions to the problems of Kashmir and Palestine if we adhere to the teachings of Iqbal.”
Mohammad Jamil Rathore, general secretary of Pakistan Journalists Forum, said Iqbal had envisioned an Islamic welfare state, which has not been established yet because of some vested interests. He called for solving the issue of Kashmir and repatriation of stranded Pakistanis from Bangladesh.
Farhan Siddiqui, general secretary of Muslim Welfare Development Organization, presented a report about the activities of the organization in Bangladesh. MWDO provides subsistence allowance to 450 families living in 66 camps. He appealed for more help for the stranded people.
PRC convener Ehsanul Haque said that Pakistan lost its eastern wing because “We failed to carry forward the mission of Quaid-e-Azam in its true spirit.” He said, “We should pledge to carry forward the mission of Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam for the progress and prosperity of the country. He urged all political parties to present solutions to the problems of Kashmir and stranded Pakistanis in their election manifestos. He also urged Edhi Trust and other charity organizations to help stranded Pakistanis in Bangladeshi camps.
Habib Siddiqui, Tahir Jameel, Shahid Nayeem, Athar Abbasi, Abdul Qayyum Waseq, Zamurrad Khan Saifi, Syed Mohsin Alvi and Sher Afzal also spoke on the occasion. Mohammad Abdur Rafi recited some poems of Iqbal.
