Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Monday said that Allama Muhammad Iqbal laid the intellectual foundation of the Pakistan Movement by awakening the Muslims of the subcontinent through his poetry, thought and message.
He expressed these views while talking to the media after visiting the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal on the occasion of Iqbal Day.
The minister also laid a floral wreath, offered Fateha and paid homage to the Poet of the East.
He also recorded his impressions in the visitors’ book. Ahsan Iqbal said that Allama Iqbal was a great asset of the national history who awakened a dormant nation and gave it an intellectual vision that ultimately led to the creation of Pakistan.
He said that Allama Iqbal not only envisioned an independent homeland for the Muslims but also identified Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah as the leader who could translate this dream into reality.
He invited him to return to the subcontinent and lead the Muslims. The minister said that Allama Iqbal introduced the Muslims of the subcontinent to the glorious aspects of their past and instilled in them the confidence to achieve great milestones through their abilities, collective strength and high moral character.
He said that Iqbal’s philosophy was rooted in love for the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),which imparted spiritual strength and enabled individuals to remain steadfast in their mission despite difficulties. Ahsan Iqbal said that every child entering school in 2026 was,in fact,an architect of Pakistan in 2047.
He stressed the need to equip the younger generation with knowledge, research and modern education to enable it to meet future challenges. He said that the nation must move forward in the fields of knowledge and skills with confidence in its own capabilities and national resources to make Pakistan a strong, self-reliant and developed country.
Ahsan Iqbal stressed the need to familiarise the younger generation with the philosophy and teachings of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, saying his intellectual legacy was vital to Pakistan’s national identity and future.
Addressing a ceremony at Alhamra Arts Council, he said Iqbal’s philosophy remained alive in the hearts of Pakistani youth and that the country’s future was bright if the younger generation remained connected with his thoughts.
“Pakistan has two atomic bombs — one is its defence capability and the other is Iqbal’s philosophy,” he remarked, adding that Iqbal had awakened a sense of freedom, self-respect and confidence among a nation living under colonial rule. Ahsan said Allama Iqbal had presented the Muslims of the subcontinent with the vision of a separate homeland and showed them the path to achieve it.
