Iqbal day holiday

The announcement that there would be no Iqbal day holiday this year came as a shock to everyone. Iqbal is considered to be the man behind the idea of Pakistan and has been an important part of the state narrative since the very beginning. Unfortunately, his importance began to diminish during Zia’s era because of his outspoken criticism of tradition and his emphasis on independent reasoning. He saw the latter as a form of rebellion against the politically motivated clergy in Pakistan.
Zia’s reign marked the demise of Iqbal’s vision for Pakistan. It is interesting to note that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa decided to observe his birth anniversary by declaring it a public holiday. Punjab is one of the most important provinces in Pakistan, and the fact that it has ignored Iqbal day indicates that Iqbal is not considered an integral part of the state narrative anymore.
Malik Atif Mahmood Majoka
Melbourne
Australia
*****
To be honest, it is more our disappointment at losing a day off than our regard for Allama Iqbal that makes us furious at the cancellation of the usual November 9 holiday. While we do respect Iqbal as a great poet who conceived the ideology of Pakistan, that is where our regard ends for him. We rarely care to read his works. He tried to make us realise that as Muslims, we ought to be role models for the rest of mankind.
As for the holiday, it is indeed a token of respect for Iqbal and therefore should be observed. Abolishing it offhand does not seem respectful. But people must also substantiate their assertions of their regard for Iqbal.
Munawar Ali Malik
Mianwali