JEDDAH: Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) celebrated the 69th anniversary of Pakistan’s independence, which was presided by Ali Al-Ghamdi, former diplomat, with Mohammad Ashfaque Badayouni, a literary personality, as the chief guest.
The meeting passed resolutions calling for repatriation of Pakistanis who are stranded in Bangladesh since the 1971 war and solving the Kashmir issue.
Other guests and speakers included Mohammad Zareen Khan, leader of Kashmir Committee; Shahid Nayeem, president of Pakistan Journalists Forum; Athar Nafees Abbasi, president of Urdu Markaz; Shamsuddin Altaf of Pakistan Peoples Community; Khalid Jawed, an engineer; Altaf Rehman; Owais Akram; Aslam Tanweer of EWF; and Agha Akram; Tariq Mahmoud, Fareed Hassan, and Aftab Altaf, all community members.
Al-Ghamdi said Pakistan’s creation was not only a day of celebration for Pakistanis alone but for the whole Muslim Ummah since it is the only country created in the name of Islam. He said that the idea of two-nation theory was first given by Arab scholar Ahmed Beiruni (who migrated to India in 1400).
In one of his popular books, Bairouni concluded that Muslims and Hindus cannot live together and Muslims should have a separate land. After the failure of Muslim revolution of 1857, intellectuals like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam succeeded to make the Islamic state of Pakistan a reality after enormous sacrifices of Muslims, especially in Indian states like Bihar and UP where Muslims were in minority, he added.
“According to the two-nation theory, Kashmir should have been part of Pakistan but due to some conspiracy it was kept away which is key reason that led for India and Pakistan to be involved in conflicts and wars,” Al-Ghamdi said.
He added that though Pakistan lost its half in 1971 but still remains a leading Muslim country.
Nawaz Sharif is blessed by Allah to become the prime minister for the third time and it is his obligation to order all measures to repatriate and rehabilitate them in Pakistan, Al-Ghamdi said.
Zareen Khan said Kashmiris endorsed joining Pakistan in a 1940 resolution moved by its leader Rana Zafar Jandowal when he made a speech in the presence of Quaid-e-Azam. The event was opened by PRC’s Deputy Convener Hamid Islam Khan Nayeem.
PRC Convener Syed Ehsanul Haque said the purpose of Pakistan could be achieved only by adhering to Qur’an and sunnah, and the message of Quaid-e-Azam.
The function started with the recitation of holy Qur’an by Qari Mohammad Qasim and naat recitation by Sher Afzal. Poets Athar Nafees Abbasi, Syed Mohsin Alavi and Atif Choudhry of Qassim presented their poems on the achievement of Pakistan and praise to Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal.
Special prayers were offered for cricket legend Hanif Mohammad who died in Karachi last week.
PRC calls for solving issues of stranded Pakistanis, Kashmir
PRC calls for solving issues of stranded Pakistanis, Kashmir
