SIALKOT: The 140th birth anniversary of Allama Iqbal was observed with traditional zeal and zest here on Thursday at Iqbal Manzil, the birthplace of the poet-philosopher.

The main cake-cutting ceremony was held at Iqbal Manzil where Gujranwala Division Commissioner Muhammad Asif, RPO Sultan Azam Taimuri, DC Dr. Farrukh Naveed and DPO paid tribute to the great philosopher.

People from cross sections of society, including students, their teachers, scouts, political leaders and government officials visited the Iqbal Manzil.

Chairperson Sialkot District Council Hina Arshad Warraich and PTI stalwart Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan also visited Iqbal Manzil and cut separate cakes there.

Later, the commissioner, RPO, DPO and DC visited the graves of Allama Iqbal’s parents and other family members at Imam Sahib Graveyard, Sialkot. They laid floral wreaths there and offered fateha.

Some [more] rare books on Iqbaliyat and pictures of Allama Iqbal, his parents and family members were displayed at the Iqbal Manzil.

In-charge [Iqbal Manzil] Syed Riaz Husain Naqvi told Dawn that as many as 22 more unrevealed letters of Allama Iqbal were displayed here for public view. He said the letters had been written by Allama Iqbal to his family members and friends.

Meanwhile, addressing a seminar on Iqbaliyat at Government Murray College, DC Dr. Farrukh Naveed said Iqbal was a visionary who conceived the idea of a separate homeland for the Muslims of subcontinent. President Bazm-i-Iqbal Shamim Khan Lodhi stressed the need to follow teachings of the poet-philosopher to cope with the challenges being faced by the country.

Senior experts [on Iqbaliyat] Prof. Khwaja Ejaz Butt and Syed Riaz Hussain Naqvi spoke of the poetry and teachings of Iqbal.

A symposium and an inter-collegiate Kalam-i-Iqbal competition were also held at Murray College. Students from 15 colleges of the district participated in the competition.

A number of people, including the mayor, participated in the Iqbal Day rally.

The 103rd death anniversary of Imam Bibi (the mother of Allama Iqbal) was also observed here.

A number of people from all walks of life participated in Qurankhwani and offered fateha at her native village Jethikey-Sambrial here under the auspices of Bazm-i-Iqbal, Sialkot. President Bazm-i-Iqbal Shamim Khan Lodhi said the world remembers Nov 9 as the birth anniversary of Allama Iqbal, but it is also the death anniversary of Imam Bibi.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2017