ISLAMABAD, Nov 8: The nation will celebrate on Thursday the 129th birth anniversary of poet-philosopher Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal. Social, cultural, educational and literary organisations have chalked out various programmes to pay tribute to the man who envisioned a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent.

The government has declared the day as holiday. However, schools and colleges will open for a while to hold Iqbal Day functions.

An exhibition of books and relics of Allama Iqbal will be held at Iqbal Museum Lahore and National Museum Karachi.

In Sialkot, a function will be held at Iqbal Manzil, the birthplace of Allama Iqbal, to commemorate the occasion.—APP