The Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) last week held a function on the occasion of the 71st death anniversary of Allama Iqbal, Pakistan's great thinker and poet philosopher. Dr. Mohammad Umer Chappra, renowned Muslim scholar and King Faisal award winner, presided over the function. Dr. Chappra said that it is due to the vision of Iqbal that Muslims in Pakistan had returned to true Islamic values, which were earlier destroyed by the Western philosophy during the British occupation in the subcontinent. Guest of honor Sameera Aziz paid tribute to Iqbal, saying “It is our duty to work for Pakistan according to the vision of Iqbal and the message of Quaid-e-Azam. Pakistanis in Bangladeshi camps require the urgent attention of the governments of Pakistan and Bangladesh to end their 37 years of captive life.” Syed Riaz Bukhari spoke on Iqbal's role in the achievement of Pakistan. Ateequr Rahman said the PRC proposal on the issue of stranded Pakistanis will be submitted to Overseas Minister Farouq Sattar for the government's review. Convener Ehsanul Haque urged political parties and charity organizations to extend their services to the stranded Pakistanis and lauded Majeed Nizami for creating the ‘Nawai Waqt Fund' for stranded Pakistanis. Scholars Prof. Azhar Ilyas Chishti and Choudhry Khursheed Anwar presented their papers on Allama Iqbal. Other speakers, including Engr. Syed Neaz Ahmed, president of Pakistan Writers Forum; M. Ashfaque Badaouni, Gulab Khan, and Engr. Rasheed Chishti, also paid tribute to Iqbal. The event was conducted by journalist Musarrat Khalil, recitation of Qur'an by Engr. Qari Asif, naat by Engr. Masood Abbasi; and Kalam-e-lqbal by Sher Afzal. Renowned poets Qamar Haider Qamar, Taher Jamil, Abdul Qayyum Waseq, Irfan Bara Bankawi, Zamurrad Khan Saifi, Syed Mohsin Alavi and Gule Anwar paid poetic tributes to Allama Iqbal. __
