ISLAMABAD: Presi­dent Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid rich tribute to national poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal on his 149th birth anniversary, being observed on Monday.

In their separate messages to mark the birth anniversary of the national poet, they highlighted Allama Iqbal’s enduring intellectual and philosophical legacy and his role in awakening political consci­ousness among the Musl­ims of the Subcontinent, and his vision of a just and egalitarian society.

While President Zardari urged the youth to draw inspiration from Allama Iqbal’s poetry to cultivate a spirit of inquiry and critical thinking, PM Shehbaz announced a year-long programme of national and international commemorative events to promote the national poet’s teachings and preserve his legacy for future generations.

In his message, Pres­ident Zardari urged young people to use inspiration from Allama Iqbal’s poetry as a catalyst to boost the spirit of inquiry and develop critical faculties.

He said: “On 149th birth anniversary of Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal, I pay tribute to our national poet, whose words awakened people to their dignity, their rights and their power to shape their own destiny.”

In his message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government will commence the year-long commemoration of the 149th birth anniversary of Allama Iqbal from today, culminating on 9 Nove­mber next year. He said a comprehensive progra­mme of national and international events is being formally launched.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2026