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Iqbal Day
Nov 09, 2007: THE nation this year commemorates Iqbal Day under a pall of uncertainty. A state of emergency resembling martial law has been enforced, fundamental rights suspended and the Constitution held in abeyance, things that are unheard of in a civilised country. Political uncertainty has led to the worst ever crash of the KSE besides bringing down the economic rating of the country. There are other disturbing developments also. The Chief Justice and a number of the judges of the Supreme Court have been sent home under emergency laws. More than half of the judges of the four high courts have refused to take oath under the PCO. This has led to countrywide protests by the lawyers' community resulting in the virtual shutdown of the courts.
With the government introducing further amendments in the draconian PEMRA Ordinance and the PPO, the media is under attack as never before. It is ironic that this is happening in a country visualised by Iqbal and created by Jinnah, both enlightened members of the legal community, who wanted Pakistan to be a modern democracy which ensured fundamental rights for its citizens and practised good governance and rule of law. With the entire opposition calling on the people to rise against the imposition if emergency, and the government geared to put down the protests by having recourse to force, the country is likely to plunge into internal strife.
According to Allama Iqbal an independent Pakistan was to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Muslim world, which is an integral and crucial part of the Third World, in its fight against western political domination and economic exploitation.
Successive rulers have however turned the country into a virtual banana republic and have provided overt and covert support to the hegemonic powers as they take on one Muslim country after another. What is more they blindly pursue policies dictated by the West outside Pakistan without taking into account the ground realities. Patriotic tribesmen who have guarded the western marches for sixty years free of cost have been alienated through repeated military operations conducted in pursuit of the USA's War on Terror. The military government which knows of only one medicine to treat all ailments doubles the dose of force when it fails to control extremists irrespective of whether they are nationalists in Balochistan, militants in Waziristan or people misled by clerics in Swat.
There is a need to revert to the ideals of Iqbal and Jinnah to deal with the ills that continue to weaken the country. Pakistan can remain united and flourish only by being a genuinely federal, democratic and modern country adhering to Islamic values that require it to be a welfare state treating equally all citizens irrespective of gender, ethnicity and belief. The Nation
Iqbal Museum in ruins
LAHORE, Nov 09, 2007: AS the whole nation celebrates Iqbal Day, the Allama Iqbal Museum, the residence of the man who presented the idea of Pakistan, has become a victim of neglect and apathy of authorities concerned.
The house where Allama Iqbal spent a major part of his life and which was visited by many great men, including Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, does not match the look which comes into mind when one thinks about a place which was once the abode of one of the founders of the nation.
The house where Iqbal lived on Allama Iqbal Road, Garahi Shahu, and which has been declared a national monument after becoming a museum, needs immediate attention of authorities as many letters of the plaque in the lawn of the house facing the road are already missing.
The board bearing the name plate of Allama Iqbal Museum initially had the inscription in Urdu and English languages, but during the course of time, most letters have eroded and now it has become impossible to make out anything from the cryptic inscription.
It is certainly heartburning for anyone that visits the place, especially schoolchildren, who would visit Allama Iqbal's residence on his birth day today. It is also very surprising for anyone that when, on one hand, the government is preparing for celebrating his birth anniversary by organising events and elaborated programmes on TV and other forums, but no one form official quarters bothered to visit.
The state of the name plate speaks volumes of authorities for the 'respect' and 'care' for their national heroes and heritage. The News
IIU celebrates Iqbal day
Islamabad: Allama Iqbal gave the message of reconstruction and creative thinking and amalgamated the philosophy of latest era under Islamic teachings, said Dr. Suheyl Umar Director, Iqbal Academy.
Addressing as chief guest at the Iqbal Day ceremony held at International Islamic University Islamabad Women Campus he said, youth knew Allama Iqbal only as a scholar who conceived the idea of Pakistan but Allama Iqbal introduced new vision and gave new dimensions of thoughts through his poetry.
Iqbal, he said, answered the basic questions of humanity and he infused the real spirit of Islam according to the changing scenario of current era. Iqbal also gave the post enlighten paradigm in a philosophical way.
Rector IIUI, Dr. Manzoor Ahmed speaking on the occasion said Iqbal's special characteristic is that he made religious contemplation a creative power. He added that mostly people are not aware of this characteristic of Allama Iqbal.
Dr. Manzoor said that doors of 'Idealogical Ijtahad' could not be closed but 'Practical Ijtihad' were shut down and now society has been changed and the new era requirements leads us to changes our thinking style. The News
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