Shahbaz Sharif visited the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal on Iqbal Day

Lahore : Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif visited the mausoleum of Poet of the East, Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal on the occasion of Iqbal Day, today.

He laid the floral wreath at the Mazaar of Allama Iqbal; offered Fateha and prayed for the prosperity and solidarity of the country. He also inked his comments at the visitor’s book and paid rich tributes to the services of Dr. Muhammad Iqbal.

Talking to the media on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the poetry of Allama Iqbal has inspired the Muslims of the subcontinent for a separate homeland and this dream of Pakistan was materialized due to the great struggle led by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Today, we should seek guidance from his poetry and philosophy because the vision of Allama Iqbal is the guarantor of our national survival.

Iqbal has promoted the message of peace and brotherhood through his poetry and we can achieve success by following his vision. The poetry of Allama Iqbal guides not only the Muslims but the whole world , he added.

Shahbaz Sharif said that we have been visiting the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal every year for the last 70 years; offer Fateha and pen our comments at the book which has been kept here but we should also ponder over the fact that how much of his poetry, philosophy and thoughts are followed and what steps have been taken to change the destiny of the nation in the light of his philosophy? It is a question mark and this question is shaking the conscience of the whole nation.

During the last 70 years, a lot of research theses have been written about the poetry and philosophy of Allama Iqbal and speeches have been made but these were not acted upon. Nothing has been done to change the plight of the poor, widows and other hapless people. We will have to see that what efforts have been made to bridge the divide between the poor and the rich.

He said that corruption and plunder of national resources have weakened the foundation of the country and there is a culture of loot everywhere. We shall also have to see that what efforts have been made to eradicate corruption.

He said that the process of transparent accountability has been buried in Pakistan and the process of transparent accountability has been ended. A culture of nepotism, recommendation and bribery is in vogue in the country. There should be an accountability process which is transparent and above-board.

We are facing deterioration despite having the poetry and philosophy of Allama Iqbal and the great struggle and sayings of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, but we are unsuccessful in providing basic facilities to the poor nation including education, healthcare, transport and justice. The biggest obstacles to achieving the destination are slackness, a culture of corruption, unjust accountability process, violation of merit and nepotism.

He said the objectives of the creation of Pakistan can be achieved by following the golden principles of hard work, honesty and trust along with the sayings of Iqbal and Jinnah. The golden principles of hard work, honesty and trust are the gist of the poetry of Allama Iqbal and a source of achieving our destination as well.

He said the plunderers that have looted the nation’s money are called corrupt elite while the honest and upright people have no value. The resources of the country amounting to billions and trillions of rupees have been looted and nobody discloses their names nor are they questioned about it though everybody knows them well. The global media is discussing the issue when the name of Prince Charles of the UK is found included in the Paradise Leaks.

On the other side, nobody talks about the plunderers who have looted billions of rupees from the poor nation in Pakistan. If the situation remains the same, then we will be thrown out in the dustbin of the history and if the situation remains the same here, then there would be no accountability nor would history remember us ever. Therefore, we jointly have to transform this journey into a process of development through hard work, honesty and trust. Let’s make a sovereign pledge on this Iqbal Day that we shall transform Pakistan into a truly Islamic welfare state by following the sayings of Iqbal and Jinnah and the menace of corruption, nepotism and injustice will be eliminated from the country. We shall move further jointly by following the principles of hard work, trust and honesty to make Pakistan a great country in the world.

He said that we should make a commitment on this day that we shall honestly serve the 21 crore people of Pakistan and justice shall prevail everywhere. It is my faith that if we follow the principles of hard work, honesty and trust then this country will emerge as a Pakistan of Iqbal and Jinnah. There is slackness in our deeds and we usually show easygoingness and these are the reasons that we are left behind and if we followed the principles of hard work, honesty and trust, then we shall achieve our goal, concluded the Chief Minister.