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| Messages on Allama Iqbals birth anniversary |
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President, PM urge people to rebuild Pakistan on Iqbals vision
Monday, November 09, 2009
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani have urged people to resolve on the birth anniversary of the poet philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal to rebuild Pakistan by drawing inspiration from his vision.
It is unfortunate that in the country envisioned by Iqbal, Islam has been ruthlessly exploited by extremists and militants to foist their narrow agenda on people in the name of religion, the president said in his message on the occasion of Allama Iqbals birth anniversary. The extremists and militants have rejected the constitution, the federation and institutions of democracy only to capture power in the name of religion. This cannot be allowed, he said.
He said the need for understanding Iqbals vision of the message of Islam and the need for forward movement in human thought was never as great as it is today.The president said Allama Iqbal believed that nothing remained static and stationary.
He believed in and advocated forward movement in human thought, President Zardari said, adding, We need to encourage forward movement in philosophical thought instead of abandoning the interpretation of Islamic teachings to any individual or group. Forward movement in human thought and interpretation is most relevant in the present day as extremists and militants selectively quoted scriptures and verses to advance their own political agenda behind the cloak of religion, he added.
The president said that one of the most important intellectual challenges faced by us was to move forward according to the changing requirements of the time while retaining the fundamentals of our great religion. We must meet this great intellectual challenge of our time for confronting the militants and militancy. For this, we need to imbibe the teachings of Allama Iqbal. This indeed is the best tribute we can pay to Allama Iqbal today, he added.
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani stressed the need to follow teachings of Allama Muhammad Iqbal to retrieve the country from various challenges it is facing. The teachings of Iqbal are no doubt the beacon of light for our dear country, in the current circumstances, the prime minister said. Iqbal included the elements of thought and strategy in the national affairs. He highlighted the sense of unity in Muslim Ummah and raised voice in favour of economic justice, Gilani said.
The prime minister said it would not be illogical to state that Iqbals saying Utho Meri Dunya Ke Gharibown Ko Jaga Do was not a mere poetry but was a call to create such an economic system, which was free from deprivation, injustice and inequality.
This is the basis of ideology, which was termed as his vision by founder leader of PPP Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and included in the partys manifesto at the time of partys creation, he said. Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan Peoples Party still belonged to that ideology.
Time is witness and I can say it with full confidence that PPP is the savior and champion of Iqbals thinking, philosophy and ideals. Our government is striving to run and develop the country in accordance with the dreams of Allama Iqbal, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Quaid-e-Awam Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, he added.
The prime minister said the present government was striving for national security, development and welfare of masses in the circumstances, which required national unity, reconciliation, consensus and futuristic vision and approach. This is a welcome and encouraging fact that today the nation is playing its role in the fight against terrorism and is moving forward on a way, which was indicated by Allama Iqbal, he added.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
