JEDDAH — The Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) marked the 75th anniversary of Pakistan's resolution held in March 1940 in Lahore at a ceremony held at a local restaurant here. It was presided over by renowned Saudi intellectual, scholar and ex-diplomat Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi.
Other guests at the event were Dr. Irfan Hashmi, Dr. Zubair Ahmed, Syed Mahmoud Akhtar and Mohammad Khaled Jawaid of Engineers Forum, and Sohail Bokhari of ARY digital TV Channel.
Al-Ghamdi, who studied in Karachi during the late 1970s and considers it as the best part of his life, in his presidential address thanked PRC for inviting on the occasion of Pakistan's National Day. "We always pray for its success, integrity and solidarity, since it gives strength to the Ummah."
He cited a historic incident about Dr. Mohammad Asad, a Jew who converted to Islam, who convinced Allama Iqbal to persuade Indian Muslims for a separate homeland when they met in 1932. Later, he also convinced Jinnah to lead with this concept.
Pakistan was established after great sacrifices by the Muslims of subcontinent, especially people of minority Muslim provinces (which did not join Pakistan).
In 1947, while majority of the Muslims migrated to western Pakistan those who migrated to eastern part also came with the same conviction to be part of Islamic state.
However, in 1971 they failed to protect East Pakistan and became victim of Bengali separatist who became victorious due to losing of the war.
For over 43 years they are languishing in camps scattered in Bangladesh without any support.
He hoped that the supreme court will accept the rights of the stranded Pakistanis and the government of Nawaz Sharif will take urgent measures to settle them in Pakistan.
He said: "It is the primary responsibility of Pakistan to pursue action to settle them, and in this Bangladesh should also play active role and if some percentage of stranded Pakistanis could settle then Bangladesh should facilitate their settlement with dignity and humanity. Pakistan should approach OIC, MWL to overcome difficulties in solving the issue."
He also praised the proposal made by PRC in arranging "repatriation and rehabilitation on self finance basis," which is based on seeking employment in KSA, GCC as means to finance their repatriation and rehabilitation.
He said: "Pakistan is facing several pressing issues, but it should not ignore the issue of stranded Pakistanis."
Aziz Ahmed, senior member of Pakistan community, praised the PRC for holding the event.
He said that stranded Pakistanis are real Pakistanis and no one could deprive their rights of Pakistani citizenship.
He appealed to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to put in his agenda to solve the issue of stranded Pakistanis soon.
Other members of the community included Hamid-ul-Islam, Naushad Usman, Shamsuddin Altaf, Mohammad Amanatullah, Mohammad Ashfaque Badayuni praised PRC's mission for repatriation of stranded Pakistanis.
Convener Syed Ehsanul Haque thanked Al-Ghamdi and all speakers, journalist, poets and guests and attendees for participating in the event.
The function started off with the recitation of a few verses from the Quran by Syed Mohsin Alavi; Naat was recited by Syed Raza Hashmi.
Syed Mohsin Alavi, Abdul Qayyum Wasiq and Zamurrad Khan Saifi presented poems on the struggle of Pakistan.
Sher Afzal presented national poem of Allama Iqbal. The event was conducted by Abdul Qayyum Wasiq. Shamsuddin Altaf supplicated for Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
