Pakistan Navy organised change of guard ceremony to pay homage to national poet and great philosopher Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal at Mazar-e-Iqbal in a befitting manner here on Tuesday. Pakistan Navy contingent assumed guard duties at the mazar of Allama Iqbal here at an impressive ceremony. The ceremony started at 7.30am, when the Pakistan Navy contingent formed up outside the mazar.
The contingent of Pakistan Rangers, which performs guard duties at the mazar of Allama Iqbal round the year, also took positions alongside, soon after, both the outgoing and incoming guards were inspected by Lieutenant Cdr Kamran Ahmad TI (M), Station Commander (Navy) Lahore. Then the guard changing ceremony started. Marching to the tunes played by the Pakistan Navy band, the Naval contingent moved to take positions at the four corners of the mazar and simultaneously, Rangers were ceremoniously moved out by their Officer Incharge.
The Naval contingent, which took over the guard duties, belonged to the Navy's Islamabad based establishment PNS ZAFAR. The ceremonial guard mounting followed floral wreath laying at the mazar of Allama Iqbal by Rear Admiral Syed Bashir Ahmed SI (M), Commander Central Punjab, on behalf of the Chief of the Naval Staff, officers and men of Pakistan Navy. Later on, Commander Central Punjab offered Fateh. Both the ceremonies were witnessed by a large number of senior civil officials, school children and general public, which thronged the mazar to pay homage to the great philosopher and poet of the east on the eve of his birth anniversary.