Iqbal Day marks the 145th birthday of Pakistan’s national poet.
Today, the country observes the 145th anniversary of the birth of national poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal with the customary zeal and fervour (November 9).
The Iqbal Day began with special prayers offered at the mosques for the country’s peace, prosperity, and progress. Today is a national holiday as stated by the federal government.
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Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal was born on November 9th, 1877 in Sialkot, British India’s Punjab Province (now in Pakistan). On April 21, 1938, he passed away in Lahore, Punjab, British India.
Allama Iqbal’s momentous speech at Allahabad in 1930 introduced the concept of the creation of Pakistan in addition to arousing Muslims in the Subcontinent through his poetry.
Guard Change Ceremony
A ceremony to mark the changing of the guard was held at Mazar-e-Iqbal in Lahore, when a Pakistan Navy detachment dressed to impress replaced the Punjab Rangers as the guard.
As the chief guest, Station Commander of the Pakistan Navy Commodore Sajid Hussain offered fateha and laid a floral wreath at the mausoleum.
PM Shahbaz and President Alvi’s statements
In separate speeches on the anniversary of the birth of the nation’s poet, the president, Dr. Arif Alvi, and the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, asked the people to commit to building the Pakistan that Allama Muhammad Iqbal envisioned—one marked by peace, political tolerance, and brotherhood.
On his statement, the President stated that we honour Allama Iqbal for developing the concept of a distinct country for Muslims in the subcontinent, where they can live according to their religious, social, and cultural values free from intimidation and fear from the Hindu majority.
In his message, the Prime Minister challenged the country to evaluate its own performance in preserving the Pakistan that Iqbal created.
