Pakistan

‘We should fulfil Iqbal’s dream’

Conference organised in connection with Iqbal's 134th anniversary at NUML remembers the great poet.

Express November 24, 2010

ISLAMABAD: An International Commemoration Conference on Allama Iqbal was held here at National University of Modern Languages. The conference was organised in connection with the 134th anniversary of the poet. It was organised by the Persian Department in collaboration with the cultural consulate of Islamic Republic of Iran. Justice (retired) Nasira Iqbal was the chief guest on the occasion while HE Masha Allah Shakeri, ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran, was the president of the conference, accompanied by Rector NUML Professor Dr Aziz Ahmad Khan.

Justice (r) Nasira Iqbal said Iqbal tried to improve the image of Islam and made it as relevant to the problems of today as it was in the heyday of its inception. In his vision, Iqbal boosted the ego of human beings as an independent free entity and advocated the concept of “Khudi” which is the very essence of our existence, she added.

Speaking on the occasion HE Masha Allah Shakeri stressed the need for Muslims to understand the philosophy of Iqbal to compete in the world. Muslin unity and brotherhood was Iqbal’s dream and “we being Muslims should respect and fulfill his dream,” he said. Shakeri also recited the prominent poem “Talu-e-Islam “of Dr Iqbal.

Professor Dr Aziz Ahmad Khan, rector NUML, urged upon the young generation to read and understand Iqbal. To understand Iqbal we have to understand Persian and there is no better place in Pakistan than NUML for this purpose, he said.

Dr Allah Baksh, speaking on the occasion, said Allama Iqbal reminded Muslims of the achievements of their forefathers. Iqbal tried to remove the prejudiced view points of the adversaries of Islamic thought.

Dr Syed Muhammad Ikram Shah, head of Iqbaliat Department, Punjab University and Dr Arshad Shakir Awan, head of Department of Urdu, Hazara University, also presented their papers during the conference.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2010.