132nd Allama Iqbal Day celebrated

ISLAMABAD: The 132nd birth anniversary of poet-philosopher Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal was celebrated on Monday across the country with national zeal and fervour.

Various cultural, educational and literary institutions organised different programmes across the country to mark the day in a befitting manner and pay homage to the great poet who envisioned the idea of a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent.

The main event was held at Mazar-e-Iqbal in Lahore where a change of guard ceremony was held in a befitting manner and a smartly turned out Pakistan Navy contingent assumed duties. Marching to the tunes played by the Pakistan Navy band, the naval contingent took positions at the four corners of the Mazar while simultaneously Rangers were ceremoniously moved out by their officer incharge. The ceremonial guard mounting followed by wreath laying at the Mazar of Allama Iqbal by Commodore Syed Hasan Mustafa SI (M), Commander North, on behalf of the Chief of the Naval Staff, officers and men of the Pakistan Navy.

The ceremony was witnessed by a large number of senior civil officials, school children and general public who thronged the Mazar to pay homage to the great philosopher and Poet of the East on the occasion of his birth anniversary.

Various literary, social and religious organisations also laid wreaths at the Mazar while Iqbal Day functions were held at a number of places.

The Iqbal Academy Pakistan organised an Iqbal Day function at the Aiwan-e-Iqbal Complex which was presided over by Dr Javed Iqbal. While Dr Israr Ahmad, Prof Fateh Mohammad Malik, Iftikhar Arif, Zaid Hamid and others addressed the gathering.

The Pakistan embassy in Seoul also celebrated Iqbal’s birth anniversary. The event was organised for the first time in South Korea. Prominent Korean scholars, including Prof Min Hee Sik of the Gandhara Civilisation, Prof Sung Kwon Won of the Korea-Pakistan Friendship Association and others, participated in the event.

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