KARACHI: The Sindh Chief Minister’s Advisor on Universities and Higher Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro urged that it is essential that today’s youth know the teachings and philosophy of Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal, a great leader who gave the concept of separate land for Muslims of the subcontinent.

He observed that our history would remain incomplete without Allama Iqbal and he is one of the great personalities of our history. Some personalities have had a profound effect on our scientific, literary, intellectual, and political life and he was one of them.

He mentioned that Western societies have learned a lot from Allama Iqbal, especially how to survive in difficult situations and how to struggle with difficulties.

Nisar Khuhro was addressing an event on Monday, Iqbal Day, titled ‘Yaqeen-i-Mohkum, Amaal-i-Pehum, Mohabbat Fateh Alam’ which was jointly organized by the Farogh-i-Iqbaliyat Forum in collaboration with directorate of electronic media and publications, ministry of information and broadcasting and Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization, University of Karachi.

The event was held at the Arts and Social Sciences Auditorium. Acting KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi said today we are paying rich tribute to the great poet, philosopher, barrister, politician, scholar, and teacher Allama Muhammad Iqbal, who had brought forward the philosophy of Khudi (self-realization).

He mentioned that Iqbal is not only the name of Pakistan but also the name of humanity. The KU VC said that nations do not live by slogans but live by character. We celebrate Iqbal Day all over Pakistan; speeches are made, articles are published, but Iqbal’s influence is not visible in our practical lives because we have failed to understand his message, while the West has made progress by taking advantage of it.

Allama Iqbal’s poetry is read and researched all over the world. There is a lot of work being done on it, especially in Germany.

Meanwhile, a speaker from Lahore, Tahir Abdul Hameed Tanoli, said that the concept of Pakistan is the result of Allama Iqbal’s thinking. Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah has said in a statement issued with his signature that every major interpretation has a thinker and Allama Iqbal is the thinker of the freedom struggle of Muslims in India.

Another speaker, Abdul Majeed, the founder-member of Farogh-i-Iqbaliyat Forum said that we are starting forough-i-Iqbaliyat from the University of Karachi. New ideas can only come from universities and these students are the best source.

He observed that not many people know Allama Iqbal in Sindh and we all need to work together to promote his teaching and ideology in this region.

Guest speaker Omar Al-Ghazali from Lahore said that Iqbal was a great poet, philosopher, and a great man. We need to pay attention to what Allama Iqbal tried to convey to us and what we learned from it and how much we benefited from it.

He added that we have stopped doing, saying, thinking, and understanding bitter things. Therefore, there is no limit to our decline. The renowned artist Aslam Kamal presented various poems of Allama Iqbal and their interpretation and said that Iqbal’s message needs to be understood and promoted. Allama Iqbal conveyed the message of unity and facing difficulties through his poems.

At the end of the ceremony, 25 students of KU’s Urdu Department participated in the competition in which Muhammad Abbas, Daniel Ismail, and Ayesha Abdul Rashid won the first, second, and third positions respectively.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2020