SAUDI ARABIA

PRC calls for creation of Allama Iqbal research center

November 15, 2017



Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH
— The Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) held a program on 140th birth anniversary of Dr. Allama Mohammad Iqbal at Mehran restaurant recently.

Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi, renowned writer and ex-diplomat, presided over the gathering. Syed Neaz Ahmed, President Pakistan Writers Forum (PWF), was the chief guest.

Other guests included Choudhry Rizwan Rasheed President Pak Media Group (PMG), Asrar Ahmed Khan, Syed Naseeruddin, Syed Faiz Najdi, Syed Wasi Imam, Syed Aslam Tanweer, Altaf ur Rahman and Syed Ghazanfar Hassan.

The program began with the recitation of verses from Holy Qur’an by Faisal Moeen. Naat was presented by Tariq Mahmood.

Dr. Ali Ghamdi thanked PRC for organizing the event on Allama Iqbal. He said Iqbal was not a poet of subcontinent only but for whole Muslim World.

He said the idea of a separate Muslim state was originally given by Allama Iqbal in Allahabad. Originally Muhammad Ali Jinnah had worked with Congress but he concluded that it was not possible to live with Hindu leadership’s attitude. He then accepted the idea of Dr. Iqbal and took on the mantle of leading the Muslim League.

He said that renowned Arab poets and philosophers also acknowledged Iqbal as a strong reformer for the Muslim world.

He said if Allama Iqbal had lived today he would not have liked the dismemberment of Pakistan and leaving patriotic Pakistanis living in Bangladesh in very miserable condition.

As Quaid-e-Azam said that without sacrifices of Muslims of Bihar the creation of Pakistan would not have been possible. They migrated in 1947 from India to East Pakistan, sided with army for the solidarity of Pakistan in 1971 war with India, and after creation of Bangladesh those patriotic Pakistanis were subjected to severe persecution and killing for their ‘crime’ of siding with Pakistan.

It is the obligation of Pakistan to repatriate and settle them in Pakistan soon. In this issue OIC and MWL have not been able to help Pakistan in their settlement plan.

Hamid Islam, deputy convener, opened the program. He said PRC would carry its mission to secure the rights of self-determination for Kashmiris and repatriation of Pakistanis from Bangladesh.

Neaz Ahmed said that Allama Iqbal believed totally in Islam and his entire message was based on Qur’an and Sunnah. His elder brother was misguided by some other sects who did not believe in Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as last prophet. But finally Allama Iqbal convinced him about true Islam and he reverted to Islam.

Shamsuddin Altaf said that Iqbal gave message of unity. He said that today our new generation not only does not understand message of Allama Iqbal nor the purpose of Pakistan’s achievement.

Renowned scholar Tariq Mahmood presented his paper on Iqbal. He said Allama Iqbal believed in a welfare state in which people would have their rights. He said unfortunately we lacked honest leadership who destroyed the image of Pakistan and its founding leaders. He also presented books on Allama Iqbal to Dr. Ghamdi and guests.

Tayyab Mosani, general secretary Memon Welfare Society, paid rich tribute to Allama Iqbal and said that we failed to adhere to the teachings of Allama Iqbal and Quaid e Azam hence we have lost our way and still far from our destination. He also demanded repatriation of stranded Pakistanis from Bangladesh.

Mohammad Amanatullah said it is our responsibility to educate our youth about Allama Iqbal’s message and to the new generation.

Mohammad Akram Agha spoke about Allama Iqbal’s life.

Syed Ehsan-ul-Haque, convener PRC, thanked all participants for attending. He presented the following resolutions, which were adopted by the audience:

n We demand government to establish “Allama Iqbal Research University” to offer research, advance knowledge on Iqbal’s poetry and philosophy and the objective and mission of creating Pakistan.

n We demand UN to organize plebiscite in Kashmir according to its resolution. Indian forces should be removed immediately. Kashmiri leadership must be included in all the negotiations between India and Pakistan.

n We condemn atrocities by Myanmar government on Rakhine Muslims and demand the government to take back those Rohingya who have fled to Bangladesh and be re-settled in their home with safety and respect as other citizens

n We demand urgent repatriation of stranded Pakistanis from Bangladesh. To overcome paucity of fund, should implement PRC proposal of “ settlement of stranded Pakistanis on self finance basis“.

n Pakistani High Commissioner at Dhaka should be assigned to take care of food, health, life and security of quarter million Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh. OIC should include in its agenda the issue of settlement of stranded Pakistanis.

At the end supplication was made by Ayub Bahjat Najmi. He prayed for the solidarity, peace and harmony in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan; solution of issues of Palestine; Yemen, Kashmir, stranded Pakistanis, Muslims of Burma and Syria.


November 15, 2017
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