New holiday approved in Pakistan The federal government of Pakistan has officially declared November 9 as a national holiday in honor of the birthday of national poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal. The Cabinet of Ministers published an official announcement confirming that the holiday will be celebrated throughout the country. Meanwhile, the Punjab School Education Department has also announced the closure of all government and private schools across the province on November 9 on the occasion of Iqbal Day. According to the notification, educational institutions across Punjab will remain closed on this day. In Soviet times, Muhammad Iqbal was better known as a poet; Translations of his poems into Russian were published. He identified with the ideas of the left. But he is also a philosopher, educated in Germany but returned to British India. In Pakistan he is considered the harbinger of independence. Support for Turan Express Our channel in Georgian Our channel in Uzbek language Our channel in Azerbaijani language Turan Express in VK.