The Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) held a function last week on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the death of Allama Iqbal - Pakistan's thinker, philosopher and poet. It was presided over by renowned poet and Islamic Development Bank (IDB) executive Naseem Sehar. In his address he argued that Iqbal's poetry convinced Muslims to set up a separate homeland. He also presented a poem in tribute to Iqbal. Chief Guest Syed Riaz Bukhari, president of the Pakistan Peoples Community, the Saudi Arabian representatives of the Pakistan People's Party, said Allama Iqbal was the architect of the two nation theory and was instrumental in creating awareness of the need for a Muslim homeland. He urged President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to take measures to solve the issue of stranded Pakistanis who have allegedly been languishing for 38 years in camps in Bangladesh because they did not want that country to be separated from Pakistan in 1971. Guest of honor and Saudi writer of Pakistan origin and senior editor of Saudi Gazette Ms. Sameera Aziz, said in her message that Allama Iqbal wanted a united and prosperous Muslim nation. She said Muslims were in a “distressing” state around the world and needed one platform like the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and Muslim World League (MWL) to achieve unity. The following resolutions were adopted by the gathering: • We urge our government to create an Allama Iqbal research university to educate our new generation about his message. • We call on our leaders to reactivate the Rabita Trust (frozen in October 2001) and restart the process of repatriation and rehabilitation. • The Pakistani High Commissioner in Dhaka should feed and clothe the quarter million Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh. • We urge Bangladesh to stop the demolishing of the Geneva camp (where about 40,000 stranded Pakistanis are living ) until their status is resolved. • The Pakistan government should use its influence to resolve the Kashmir situation with the help of India and other countries.
