President, PM say Iqbal’s vision continues to serve as a 'guiding beacon' for Pakistan

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif honored Allama Muhammad Iqbal on Monday, his 149th birth anniversary, highlighting that his message of unity and peaceful coexistence continues to guide Pakistan. Born in Sialkot in 1877, Iqbal was a renowned poet, scholar, philosopher and the ideological founder of Pakistan.

It was at the Allahabad session of the Muslim League in 1930 that Iqbal first articulated the two-nation theory, leading to the creation of Pakistan on August 14, 1947. The federal government declared November 9 as a public holiday in commemoration of Iqbal Day. A Change of Guards ceremony was held at Iqbal's mausoleum in Lahore on Monday morning, according to Radio Pakistan.

In his message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that Iqbal played a pivotal role in awakening political consciousness among the Muslims of the subcontinent, inspiring them to assert their distinct national identity. The premier described Iqbal as an individual of exceptional intellectual stature and profound wisdom, whose thought continues to broaden intellectual horizons and foster the intellectual growth of the youth and future generations.

PM Shehbaz also announced a year-long commemoration of Iqbal's 150th anniversary, culminating on November 9, 2027, featuring various national and international events.

President Zardari also paid tribute to Iqbal, urging the country's youth to draw inspiration from Iqbal's poetry to boost the spirit of inquiry and develop critical faculties. He highlighted Iqbal's vision of a society where wealth, privilege, and inherited status no longer determine a person's worth or opportunities. Iqbal's concept of Khudi (selfhood) teaches individuals and nations to transform their destinies through self-realization, purposeful endeavor, and spiritual emancipation.

Iqbal regarded youth as "architects of the nation's future," and his thoughts emphasized peace, social harmony, tolerance, and justice as essential pillars of sustainable national development. The president stressed that Iqbal's messages of Muslim unity, universal brotherhood, and peaceful coexistence hold international relevance.

He pledged to deepen the understanding of Iqbal's message, promote scholarly research into his thought, foster creative thinking, and strengthen national character.