The birth anniversary of great philosopher and poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal was celebrated with usual zeal and enthusiasm in the city and other parts of Sialkot district on Sunday.
The daylong programmes started with special prayers for the solidarity, unity and prosperity of the country and for the early liberation of Indian held Kashmir in all principal mosques of Sialkot. Sialkot District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema and District Co-ordination Officer (DCO) Captain (Rtd) Ata Muhammad visited Iqbal Manzil to pay homage to the great philosopher, poet and thinker.
Talking to Business Recorder Sialkot District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema said that district government would take appropriate steps for the repair and maintenance of Iqbal Manzil. Special attention would be accorded on preserving its original structure and shape of the building and it would present a look of historical monument while work on this project would be undertaken in a short span of time he added.
A big procession headed by Tehsil Nazim Sialkot Tehsil Municipal administration Imtiaz-ud-Dar was taken out from Iqbal Manzil (the birth place of Iqbal) to the graves of the mother and father of Allama Iqbal. The elected representatives, government officers, journalists, and large number of citizens jointed the procession.
On this occasion the Tehsil Nazim Sialkot Municipal Administration on behalf of the citizens of Sialkot laid flower wreaths on the graves of parents of Allama Iqbal and offered Fateha. Flower wreaths were also laid on the graves of the parents of Allama Iqbal by several social, cultural and literary organisations.
A large number of school and college students visited the Iqbal Manzil for paying homage to great philosopher and poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal and went especially to the room in which Allama was born. At Iqbal Manzil (Sialkot) a book exhibition was also arranged and a large number of books written on Allama Iqbal by different authors in various languages, as well as some rare books, were displayed in the exhibition.
The Tehsil Nazim Imtiaz Dar urged upon the students and other visitors of (Iqbal Manzil) that they should study the poetry of Allama Iqbal for overcoming our multifarious problems. It is high time that we should follow the message of Iqbal for fulfilment of the dreams of Dr Iqbal and Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and for making Pakistan stronger. He called upon the teachers and students to study Iqbal with full concentration for establishing a healthy and discrimination-free society for ensuring justice at grass root level in the country.