PM Shehbaz constitutes committee to highlight Dr Iqbal’s philosophy

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minster Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday constituted a high level committee to highlight work of the national poet, Dr Allama Mohammad Iqbal.

The prime minister desired to arrange a detailed programme, to highlight the life, work and philosophy of Dr. Mohammad Iqbal, may be developed for the month of November.

The committee, under the supervision of Senator Irfan Siddiqui, shall complete the task within three days, said a notification issued by the PM office.

According to the notification, the National Heritage and Culture Division shall provide secretarial support to the committee and it would finalise the events which must be befitting the stature of the towering personality of Mohammad Iqbal.

The resources, expertise and venue of the Iqbal Academy shall also be utilised to the fullest extent.

The committee headed by Senator Irfan Siddiqui comprises Dr Nisar Ahmed Cheema (MNA), Dr. Nafisa Shah (MNA), Secretary, national Heritage and Culture Division, Prof. Fateh Muhammad Malik , Prof. Dr. Khawaja Muhammad Zakria, Prof. Dr. Rafi Ud Din Hashmi, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ayub Sabir, Prof. Dr . Aslam Ansari, Dr. Ehsan Akbar, Prof. Dr. Tehsin Firaqi, Dr. Abasar Ahmad, Dr. Talib Hussain sial, Khurram Alki Shafique, Dr. Maqsood Jafri, Dr. Abdul Rauf Rafiqui, Prof. Dr. Abid Ali, Dr. Badshah Munir Bukhari, Dr. Khalid Iqbal Yasir, Muhammad Ikram Chughtari, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Kamran and Prof. Dr. Basera Ambreen.

Meanwhile, the federal government has announced a public holiday on November 09 across the country to mark ‘Iqbal Day’, the 145th birth anniversary of Dr Mohammad Iqbal.

According a notification, the prime minister has been pleased to desire that November 9 to mark Iqbal Day, henceforth be observed as a Public Holiday.

According to the notification, November 9 will be a public holiday on the occasion of Allama Iqbal’s birthday.

The Prime Minister’s Secretariat has instructed the concerned department to take action for the Iqbal Day holiday on the request of the Prime Minister.

The Poet of the East played an instrumental role in inspiring millions of Muslims across the sub-continent to seek an independent homeland where they could practice Islam freely. The day would dawn with special prayers in mosques for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.