Sir: Poet, philosopher and scholar of international renown, Dr.Allama Muhammad Iqbal, alongside the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, played a pivotal role in the creation of Pakistan. He is an icon who is recognized all over the world. Unfortunately, we as a nation, have done very little to honour him.

To pay our respect to this great personality, the incumbent government must declare November 9, the birthday of Allama Iqbal, as a national holiday. November 9, Iqbal Day, has long been declared as a public holiday in Pakistan until 2016 when the previous government callously decided to revoke it. Restoration of November 9 as a national holiday is the least that one would expect from the present government to in order to pay homage to this great icon.

M Fazal Elahi

N/A

Published in Daily Times, November 3rd 2018.