Birmingham: The 147th birth anniversary of the philosopher and national poet of Pakistan, Dr. Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal, was celebrated with great devotion and respect.
The event was organised in collaboration with the Sufi Trust UK and the Pakistan Consulate in Birmingham. Saad Chishti formally began the ceremony with a recitation from the Holy Quran.
The Consul General of Pakistan in Birmingham, Kamran Ahmad Malik, delivered a welcome speech, sharing Iqbal’s universal message of self-reliance, peace, love, and eternal life. Prominent poets from Birmingham, including Professor Mahmood Raza, Farooq Naseem, Khawaja Muhammad Arif, and Iftikhar Ahmed Jugano, expressed their admiration for Iqbal through poetry.
Additionally, speakers such as Abid Iqbal, Chairman of Say Arts; Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal, Chairman of Birmingham Central Mosque; Naushaba Yaqoob Raja; Abdul Karim Saqib; and others paid tribute to the poet of the East and Pakistan, honoring his invaluable contributions to the country and nation. The occasion featured performances by Qari Afzal Anjum, Mrs. Rani Arif (CEO of Global Community Association), S.M. Irfan Tahir (General Secretary of Pakistan Press Club UK, Midlands), and renowned musicians Sohail Abbas, Irham Rizwan, Hareem, Emaan Mughal, Anosha Rizwan, Hamna Choudhary, Maryam Shahzad, and others.
They presented ghazals, poems, hymns, naats, and children’s prayers from Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s works, receiving heartfelt applause from the audience. Vice Consul Mrs. Bukhtawar Mir of the Pakistan Consulate in Birmingham expressed gratitude to the distinguished guests who attended from near and far.
Report by S M Irfan Tahir Photojournalist / Member National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Great Britain.
