ISLAMABAD: The 148th birth anniversary of Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal, revered as the “Thinker of Pakistan” and “Poet of the East,” is being celebrated across the nation today with profound devotion and respect. The day is observed annually on November 9 to honor the philosopher and poet whose vision laid the intellectual groundwork for an independent homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent.
The central ceremony to mark the day was a solemn changing of the guards at the Allama Iqbal mausoleum in Lahore. The historic site, a testament to his enduring legacy, attracts thousands of visitors and dignitaries who come to pay their respects to the man who taught oppressed nations to “wake up and build a new civilization.”
Allama Iqbal, born in Sialkot on November 9, 1877, is credited with awakening a dormant Muslim community through his powerful poetry and philosophical writings. His words instilled a sense of separate nationhood and inspired a relentless struggle for political and spiritual freedom. He lit “the lamp of hope” that not only pointed towards the destination of an independent state but also illuminated the path to achieve it.
His concept of “Khudi” (Selfhood) empowered individuals to realize their potential, and his presidency address at Allahabad in 1930 is widely seen as the first clear articulation of the demand for a separate Muslim state. His ideas became the ideological cornerstone that galvanized a generation under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Across the country, educational institutions, cultural organizations, and media outlets are holding seminars, poetry recitations, and conferences to discuss his teachings and their relevance to contemporary challenges. The day serves as a national reminder of Iqbal’s timeless message of self-realization, unity, and the relentless pursuit of justice, which continues to guide and inspire the nation he helped conceive.
Meanwhile the Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti has extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Pakistan national cricket team for their “brilliant success” in securing the ODI series victory against South Africa, following their earlier T20 series win.
