Sitting from left: Dr. Irfan Hashmi, vice president, Aalami Urdu Markaz; Jamal ullah Qadri, president, Urdu Academy Jeddah; Rohail A. Khan, chief guest; Tahseem ul Haq, welfare consular; Ather Nafees Abbasi, president, Aalami Urdu Markaz; and Dr. Ather Naqvi. — SG photo by Syed Mussarat Khalil Syed Mussarat Khalil Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH – “Aalami Urdu Markaz,” a Jeddah-based social and literary organization celebrated Baba-e-Urdu Moulvi Abdul Haq's 140th birthday on Nov. 16 at a local restaurant here. Rohail A.Khan, financial advisor in a reputed firm, presided over the function as chief guest with welfare consular Tahseem ul Haq. A number of literary enthusiasts were also in attendance. Khan said that Urdu is the fourth most spoken language in the world and most of the Islamic literary works are in Urdu after Arabic. He further said that efforts should be directed toward developing Facebook in Urdu as well. He also congratulated “Aalami Urdu Markaz” for organizing a function in honor of Baba-e-Urdu. Haq said in his brief speech that the Pakistani Consulate in Jeddah will provide complete assistance to “Aalami Urdu Markaz” for launching programs for the development of their national language. Dr. Naeem Hamid Ali Khan, a poet, a writer and a scholar in Saudi Arabia, said that it is very difficult to highlight the commendable services of Moulvi Abdul Haq in a short time. Speakers Farooq Monis, Syed Jamal ullah Qadri, Aleem Khan Falaki, Professor Ather Naqvi, Dr. Amjad Obaid, and poets Zamarad Khan Saifi, Mahtab Qader, Irfan Barabankavi, Anwar Ansari, Mukhtar Ali and Mohsin Alvi paid tribute to Moulvi Abdul Haq in their speeches and poetry for his services in promoting Urdu language across the subcontinent. Ather Nafees Abbasi, president of “Aalami Urdu Markaz,” thanked the guests and audience, saying that he will do his best to promote the Urdu-language in the Kingdom. Earlier, Mohammad Asif had recited a few verses from the Qur'an before the function kicked off. Hamid Islam Khan, general secretary, “Aalami Urdu Markaz,” conducted the program.
