SIALKOT, Nov 9: The people of Sialkot, the city of great poet and philosopher Allama Iqbal, observed the Iqbal Day with traditional zeal. People paid homage to Iqbal on his 127th birth anniversary.

The tehsil municipal administration illuminated the crumbling structure of the historic Iqbal Manzil, which remained open to the public. People from all walks of life visited the Iqbal Manzil and paid homage to Allama Iqbal.

The administration also arranged a big rally from the Sialkot Fort to the Iqbal Manzil, led by Tehsil Naib Nazim Chaudhry Mehmood Ali Warriach, to mark the day. A large number of visitors were seen at the Imam Sahib graveyard in the city and offered fateha at the graves of the poet's parents and other members of family.

Visitors to the Iqbal Manzil were short of words to express concern over the condition of 145-year-old structure and negligence of the authorities concerned.

Special prayers and Quran Khwani were also held in district's all mosques for the eternal peace of Allama Iqbal.