Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that the country was confronting numerous challenges both at the national and international levels and seeking guidance from Iqbal’s philosophy could lead the nation to glory.
Addressing the Presidential Iqbal Awards distribution ceremony at Aiwan-e-Iqbal on Saturday, he said the vigour of Iqbal’s philosophy had tremendous potential to make the nation outshine other countries and the guidance from ideas of Iqbal was necessary. “We being a nation are very lucky to have had a great leader and philosopher like Allama Muhammad Iqbal, who is an institution and a multi-dimensional personality, and his writings and poetry acquaint us with the essence of life.”
The PM said that Pakistani nation was mature, sensitive and brave and it had always played its role in any difficulty. He further said the nation was not facing any ‘real crisis’, only the repercussion of bad intention and mismanagement of some individuals or groups in the past. Praising the services rendered by the Iqbal Academy, the PM said it was one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of the government of Pakistan working for the dissemination of Iqbal’s thought and message.
He said the government had enhanced the all important Iqbal Award programme and started another Award named “Nishan-e-Iqbal – Lifetime Achievement Award” (Rs 500,000 and a gold medal) for scholars rendering outstanding meritorious services in the domain of Iqbal Studies. He also announces two gold medals for students who stood first in the Departments of Philosophy at University of the Punjab and GC University.
The PM also announced a grant of Rs 50 million for the academy. Gilani gave away Presidential Iqbal Awards to national and i1nternational scholars who worked on the philosophy and teachings of Iqbal. Those received the award included Dr Nataliya Parigarina from Russia, Muhammad Abdul Rahim from Bangladesh, Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik, Dr Nazeer Qaisar, Chaudhry Muzaffar Hussain, Prof Dr Ayub Sabir, Prof Dr Rafiud Din Hashmi, Shabbir Afzal Khan, Dr Rashid Hameed, Khurram Ali Shafique and Dr Waheed Ishrat.
The PM also gave away prizes to the top three winners of 2nd Multimedia Website Competition. Hamid Raza and his team received the first prize for their website. Gilani also gave away a memento to Norwegian embassy’s representative Terre Barsta as an acknowledgement of Norwegian government’s support and cooperation in the projects of Iqbal Academy Pakistan (IAP).
Iqbal’s philosophy can still lead nation to glory: prime minister
