The nation on Tuesday heaped homage on poet and philosopher Dr Muhammad Allama Iqbal on the 144th birth anniversary of the visionary leader who floated the idea of a separate homeland for the Muslims of subcontinent.
The celebrated the birth anniversary of the national poet Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal with zeal and fervour.
The day dawned with special prayers in mosques for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan
A change of guard ceremony was held at the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal in Lahore where a smartly turned-out contingent of the Pakistan Navy assumed ceremonial guard duties.
Pakistan Navy Station Commander Lahore Commodore Aamir Iqbal was the chief guest at the ceremony. He laid a floral wreath at the tomb and offered fateha.
Various literary, educational, political, social and cultural organisations have arranged special programmes to pay homage to the national poet and highlight different aspects of his life and teachings.
Known as the Poet of East, Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal was born in Sialkot on Nov 9, 1877.
Iqbal received his early education in the traditional maktab. Later he joined the Sialkot Mission School, from where he passed his matriculation examination.
In 1897, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Government College, Lahore. Two years later, he secured his Masters Degree and was appointed in the Oriental College, Lahore, as a lecturer of history, philosophy and English.
He awakened the Muslims of the Subcontinent through his poetry and political acumen by presenting the idea of the creation of Pakistan through his historic address at Allahabad in 1930.
Allama Iqbal had given a clear direction and separate identity to the Muslims of the Sub-Continent to achieve Pakistan.
Allama Iqbal’s ideology and principles of life are the best source of inspiration for people in all sectors of life by strictly adhering to his lesson of Khudi (ego) and preservation of national identity.
His best literary work includes Asrar-e-Khudi, Payam- i-Mashriq, Bang-i-Dara, Bal-i-Jibril, Zarb-i-Kalim and Armughan-e-Hijaz.
His poetry was translated into Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, English and many other languages. The Indians, Pakistanis, Iranians and other foreign literary scholars revered Iqbal as a famous poet.
His first poetry book, The Secrets of the Self, was published in the Persian language in 1915, and other poetry books include The Secrets of Selflessness, The Message from the East and the Persian Psalms. The iconic poet passed away on April 21, 1938.
