The Shair-e-Mashriq (The Poet of the East) celebration in Southall was attended by Pakistani diplomats and a government minster.

Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal fondly referred to as Allama Iqbal was a Muslim poet, philosopher and a politician. His poetry in Urdu and Persian was to inspire the creation of Pakistan.

His is also called the Shair-e-Mashriq (The Poet of the East), Muffakir-e-Pakistan (The Thinker of Pakistan) and Hakeem-ul-Ummat (The Sage of Ummah).

On Thursday evening many prominent members of the community came to Chaudhry’s TKC on Southall Broadway to celebrate the national poet of Pakistan.

Gathered at this event were Lord Nazir Ahmed and the minister for International development Shahid Malik MP.

Pakistani High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan was another high profile figure present.

Last Sunday November 9th 2008, the 132nd birthday of the national poet of Pakistan was observed with great zeal and fervour across Pakistan on Sunday November 9th 2008.

Allama Iqbal and Muhammad Ali Jinnah are the two revered founding fathers of Pakistan.