The federal government has announced a public holiday on November 9, Saturday, to commemorate Iqbal Day, celebrating the 147th birthday of Allama Iqbal. Revered as the “Poet of the East,” Iqbal played a key role in inspiring Muslims in the Indian subcontinent to pursue freedom from British colonial rule and to envision a separate homeland. Born in Sialkot in 1877, his poetry and philosophical ideas were instrumental in sparking a movement for a distinct Muslim state.
One of Iqbal’s most significant moments came during his 1930 address in Allahabad, where he proposed a separate identity for Muslims, an idea that eventually led to the creation of Pakistan. Today, Iqbal Day is observed with special prayers in mosques, a formal Change of Guards ceremony at his mausoleum in Lahore, and various events across the country honoring his legacy as a national poet and thinker.
Additionally, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has announced that all banks will remain closed on Iqbal Day.