NPT celebrates 137th birth anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal

Lahore: The 137^th birth anniversary of Allama Muhammad Iqbal was celebrated at the Aiwan-i-Karkunaan-i-Tehreek-i-Pakistan in the form of a solemn and dignified ceremony with the Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust Chairman, Muhammad Rafique Tarar, in the chair, who, in his presidential address, observed that Pakistan enjoyed a unique geographical position. Being the one and only nuclear-armed Muslim state, it is impossible for its enemies to subjugate it, so they were resolving to weaken it internally on the political, cultural and journalistic fronts, spawning thereby political instability and terrorist activities. Clinging to the democratic process could ensure our survival and a respectable place among the comity of nations. The whole national leadership should get together, resolving all the issues through love and respect for one another, he said.

Delivering a welcome address, Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust Vice Chairman. Prof. Dr. Rafique Ahmad remarked that Allama Muhammad Iqbal gave the message of unity and co-operation not only to the Muslims of the sub-continent, but also to the Muslims residing in all the other places on the globe.

Syed Ghous Ali Shah drew the audience’s attention to the great acts of sacrifice performed by the Muslims of the sub-continent to gain an independent and sovereign state of their own. Faith, unity and discipline, he said, could keep the nation together, he said.

The Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust U.K. President Malik Ghulam Rabbana (popularly known as Baba-i-Amn) reminisced about the good old days when late Dr. Majid Nizami told him to run the afore-said Forum.

The well-known journalist Khushnood Ali Khan enumerated the tasks that we must address. The ancestral residence of the Poet of the East in Sialkot was in a shabby condition, he said, and needs immediate repair. He also expressed his concern over the incidents of lawlessness in the country.

The famous journalist Dr. Ajmal Niazi paid a glowing tribute to Dr. Majid Nizami terming him his spiritual guide. He remarked that some specific relationship could well transcend the blood relationship.

Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Ali, Khanwada-i-Bahu remarked that, through his poetry in the local language, Allama Iqbal acquainted the masses with the interpretation of the Holy Quran.

Justice(r) Nasira Javed Iqbal emphasized the importance of showing veneration and reverence to all the human beings irrespective of their creed, color, language, ethnicity or sect.

Waleed Iqbal advocate brought out the importance of libraries in our country. It is lamentable that Pakistan has a total of 400 libraries only containing just 0.8 million books, he observed.