Speakers paid tribute to philosopher-poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal for his services for the Muslims of the Sub Continent on his 78th death anniversary saying that Iqbal was a great visionary leader and that Pakistan can change if we implement Iqbal’s teachings in our lives.
These remarks were made during a ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, Lahore on Thursday.
Justice retired Dr Nasira Javed Iqbal chaired the ceremony. Pakistan Today Editor Arif Nizami, Mujeeb ur Rehman Shami, Sajjad Mir, Asma Bajwa, Muneeb Iqbal and Orya Maqbool Jan were among the speakers.
Dr Nasira said that Iqbal’s message had not been popularized in the country the way it should have been. She said there is a dire need to implement Iqbal’s philosophy.
Nasira criticised mullahs by saying that this faction was against the creation of Pakistan and now they are imposing their so-called ideology on us. She also slammed the politicians as they had failed to implement the promises they had made with the nation for the accountably of the corrupt.
Arif Nizami said on the occasion that while the ruling PML-N makes tall claims of acting on Iqbal’s vision, but the absence of any of the government representatives despite the fact that they had been extended an invitation showed their real priorities lied. He said the rulers pay lip service to Iqbal’s teachings, but do not actually act on them.
Nizami further said that Lahore’s Temple Road was renamed Hameed Nizami Road by Ayub Khan. But during the last tenure of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the name of the road was once again changed to Temple Road.
He said that it would have been better if the political government took the lead on ensuring accountability, but the army had started the process first by punishing its senior officers.
Mujeeb-ur-Rehman said that the concept of real Pakistan is incomplete without incorporating the vision of Allama Iqbal and that this has yet to become Iqbal’s Pakistan. He said Iqbal was a great follower of the Prophet (PBUH) and his relation with the Prophet (PBUH) and the Quran was his identity.
Sajjad Mir said the Paksitani nation was lucky to have a leader like Allama Iqbal and said this is very rare in other parts of the world.
Orya Maqbool Jan called Iqbal a true Muslim and a follower of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) whose work expressed the teaching of Islam. “Those who think that ending Iqbal Day can make people forget Iqbal have another thing coming,” he said.
Muneeb Iqbal said in his speech that Iqbal’s mother had had a great influence on making him into the person he was. He said there was need for the new generation to learn from Iqbal’s teachings.