International conference on poet philosopher continues

Islamabad: Allama Iqbal was not just the poet of the East but of entire humanity, speakers expressing their views on the second day of the International Allama Muhammad Iqbal Conference stated here Tuesday.

Organized by Muslim Institute, the three-day conference is being attended by thinkers, researchers and scholars from 18 countries. Speakers of the second day were Dr. Zaffar Mueen Nasar, Vice Chancellor, University of the Punjab, Dr. Mahmad Kodabaccus, Secretary General, Parti Mauricien Social Démocrate Mauritius, Dr. Geldimyrat Muhammedov from Turkmenistan, Prof. Dr. Hug Van Skyhwk from Germany, Dr. Nurali Nurzad from Tajikistan, Yevhen Reutov from Ukraine, Dr. Mohammad Baghai Makan from Iran, Dr. Talib Hussain Sial, Former Director, IRD, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Dr. Muhammad Maroof Shah
from Srinagar, Prof. Dr. Ejaz Akram from National Defence University, Islamabad, Idrees Azad from IIU, Islamabad, Dr. Saleem Mazhar, Dean, Faculty of Oriental Learning, Punjab University, and Dr. Suheyl Umar, Former Director, Iqbal Academy Pakistan.

Speakers observed that Iqbal believes in human dignity and freedom. Iqbal’s concept of ‘khudi’ (self-realization, self-awareness, and self-assertion) is the concept of human rights including the right of self-determination primarily concerned with the future of Muslims across the globe.

No doubt, Iqbal was a humanist and he dreamt for a new social order for the whole world based on social democracy and spiritual democracy, his main concern was to awaken the Muslim Ummah through his philosophy of ‘khudi’ and ‘be-khudi’ (integration of individual with society and with supreme common interest of society).