islamabad - The Federal Minister for Interior has stressed the need for reiterating the resolve to make a progressive Pakistan in the light of Iqbal’s teachings.

The minister said this in a ceremony held at Higher Education Commission (HEC) to commemorate Iqbal Day on his 140th birth anniversary.

Addressing the audience, Ahsan Iqbal said that Allama Iqbal awoke the Muslim nation from its centuries old slumber. “He taught self-esteem through his poetry, as the low self-esteem leads to lack of self-confidence and inferiority complex pushing the people into slavery. ‘Iqbal’s Khudi’ is not arrogance but it is an amalgamation of self-confidence and humility, he underlined, explaining that Allama Iqbal emphasized humility and self-esteem at the same time to develop realization of the need for aiming higher. We need to seek guidance from Iqbal’s poetry to guide us in today’s Pakistan.”

The minister said that Pakistan has made remarkable progress during the last three years. He said the government has immensely increased funding for the higher education sector to empower the country’s youth. He stressed the need for reiterating the resolve to make a progressive Pakistan in the light of Iqbal’s teachings.

He urged the youth to work harder, better and smarter to keep pace with the world. “We will not allow anybody to push us into the darkness of pessimism,” he said, adding that the country is on the track of economic growth today and menaces like terrorism and energy crisis have come to an end. Chairman HEC Dr Mukhtar Ahmed urged the youth to groom themselves to become leaders and stressed the need for reinvigorating the spirit of Iqbal’s teachings. “We have to teach our youth the real characteristics of Iqbal’s Shaheen.”

He said it is high time to enliven nationalism among the citizens of Pakistan, adding that problems presently facing the country like social, political and religious segregation require solutions in accordance with the thoughts propagated by Iqbal.

“Real homage to Iqbal is to acknowledge his services to the Muslims of Sub-continent. His thoughts played a great role in uniting the Muslims, ultimately leading them to attain a new country. Spreading his thoughts once again is need of the hour. Before 1947, a nation needed a country, now a country is looking for a nation,” he emphasised.

Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Interior Minister was the chief guest on the occasion. Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman HEC, Vice Chancellors, Government dignitaries, foreign diplomats, literati, scholars of Iqbaliaat, academicians and students attended the ceremony.