SIALKOT-The 11th death anniversary of prominent Pakistan Movement activist and creator of Na’ara Pakistan “Pakistan Ka Matlab Kia” Prof. Asghar Saudai was observed here fervour on Friday.
Hundreds of people from all walks of life attended Quran Khawani held at “Saudai Manzil” in Karimpura locality of Sialkot. Majority of the participants were educationists, notable poets, retired and serving bureaucrats, politicians, students and his pupils.
People also laid floral wreaths on his grave and offered Fateha for eternal peace of the departed soul. People paid rich tribute to Prof Asghar Saudai, saying late professor would be remembered until Pakistan is existed.
Son of soil of Sialkot, Prof Asghar Saudai (83) had been a prominent activist of Pakistan Movement and creator of Na’ara Pakistan “Pakistan Ka Matlab Kia besides; he served as the director education, senior economist and poet.
He had died of a cardiac arrest in Sialkot on May 17, 2008 at his residence. The Naara-e-Pakistan “Pakistan Ka Matlab Kia, La Illaha Il-Allah” became a recognition of Prof Asghar Saudai, after the great poets - Allama Iqbal and Faiz Ahmad Faiz. The fame of this “Naara” could be gauged from the fact that every child in Pakistan and every person is often found saying “Pakistan ka Matlab Kia, La Illaha Il-Allah”.
A special symposium was held at Sialkot to pay tribute Prof Saudai. On the occasion, speakers including senior journalists, educationists, notable poets, retired and serving bureaucrats, politicians, students and his pupils) described that Prof Asghar Saudai was a unique asset to Sialkot and Pakistan.
Senior educationist Prof Ejaz Butt said that Prof Asghar Saudai was a roaming encyclopedia of Pakistan Movement, who also played a frontline role in Pakistan Movement. He had also been a close associate of the father of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Prof Asghar Saudai often used to say in his life that he had said that he wrote his poem “ Pakistan ka Matlab Kia” during his college education to minimize the anti-Islam and anti-Pakistan propaganda promoted by his Hindu and Sikh class fellows and teachers. This poem later became very popular among the Muslims, assuming the status of voice of every Muslim, which not only helped counter anti-Islam propaganda of anti-Pakistan forces. According to late Prof Saudai, his poem had also paved the way of Pakistan Movement by reflecting sentiments of every Muslim.
Sialkot ranked first in provision of primary, secondary healthcare
The Sialkot district has got first position across Punjab in the provision of improved primary and secondary health services to people. Chief Minister Road Map Indicators of Health Punjab has also issued fresh ranking, declaring Sialkot district on top of the provincial ranking.
Sialkot Deputy Commissioner Dr Syed Bilal Haider disclosed this while presiding over a meeting of senior officials of the District Health Authority here.
The DC termed it a big success, saying that Sialkot district has got first position in all districts of Punjab by making all-out sincere collective efforts under a splendid team work for ensuring provision of improved primary and secondary health services to local people.
He told the meeting that the experiment of launching of an application namely Patient Referral System in district improved the performance of the health department in admission and referral of patients to the other hospitals.
He said this Patients Referral System app, successfully launched by Sialkot district, would also soon be launched in Punjab’s other districts by the Punjab government in the larger interest of the local patients.
CEO of District Health Authority Dr Liaqat Ali Khan, District Health Officers (DHOs) Dr Ahmed Nasir, Dr Afzal Bhatti, District Monitoring Officer (DMO) Sialkot Zaheer Liaqat and other senior officials attended the meeting.