The Iranian traditional music groups thrilled the youth Friday at the Abapara Community Centre with their rendition of religious and Sufi poetry, Kalam-e-Iqbal, and Hamd-o-Naat. It was their special performance for the students at the concluding of the Iranian Cultural Week. The occasion was Jaiza-e-Naat Khawani, jointly arranged by the Iranian Cultural Consulate and Anjuman Saqafat-e-Pakistan-o-Iran in collaboration with the Staff Welfare Organisation and the Federal Directorate of Education.
Former Secretary Foreign Affairs M Akram Zaki was the chief guest. Well-known scholar Ghazanfar Mehdi, and Deputy Cultural Counsel Agha Ali Dosti were the guests of honour.
Over 1000 students from the educational institutions of the Federal Directorate of Education witnessed the soul-soothing performance of the two visiting groups from Iran. The groups also sang the Urdu and Persian Kalam-e-Iqbal, the great poet of the east. Akram Zaki said the Iranians believe that Allama Muhammad Iqbal has inspired their philosophy of life and civilisation, and Iran’s Islamic revolution that dawned some 33 years back.
Zaki said, “Iranians call Allama Iqbal as Iqbal Lahori, and appreciate his poetry the way they acknowledge their own great poets and philosophers. We have put Iqbal’s philosophy on backburner but Iran keeps driving the essence from Iqbal’s verses and philosophical objectivity.” He appreciated the Iranian Cultural Consulate for their special event for the students and supporting the naat khawani competition. He urged youth exchanges and consistent contact between the youth of both nations for enhanced understanding and lasting bilateral ties at present and in the future.
Akram Zaki suggested, “There should be joint creative competitions, youth forums, and cultural debate to enrich the mindset of the youth in a more harmonised manner.” Agha Ali Dosti said the youth of both countries promise a bright future for the region. The Islamic spirit would lead to strengthen relation among the people of Muslim countries. Ghazanfar Mehdi urged regular and enhanced co-curricular activities including the ones that would inculcate understanding of Islamic concepts of life among the youth. Among others who spoke on the occasion included Nahid Zehra Naqvi, Khawaja Zia, Sibtain Raza, and Mazhar Abbas.
