ISLAMABAD: Speakers at the inaugural session of the Two-Day International National Iqbal Conference 2026 said the intellectual legacy of Allama Muhammad Iqbal remained an integral part of Pakistan’s national and cultural identity and continued to offer guidance on selfhood, justice, education, national consciousness and intellectual freedom.
The conference was organised by the National Language Promotion Department (NLPD) in collaboration with Women University Mardan at Aiwan-e-Urdu, National Language Promotion Department, Islamabad. The session was attended by academic, literary, research and diplomatic personalities.
Addressing the inaugural session, Mr Aurangzeb Khan Khichi said effective measures should continue to be taken to convey Iqbal’s message to the younger generation through academic and literary activities. He said sustainable development and economic prosperity could only be achieved by providing equal opportunities to young people and women.
“The development of a country cannot be viewed separately from its culture,” he said, adding that the conference would not remain confined to the presentation of research papers. Its recommendations, he said, would be translated into practical initiatives with the support of the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
The ceremony commenced with the national anthem, recitation from the Holy Quran and Naat-e-Rasool-e-Maqbool (Peace Be Upon Him), followed by a brief introduction to Women University Mardan. Participants discussed Allama Iqbal’s philosophy, the concept of Khudi, national identity, intellectual freedom and the relevance of his message in the contemporary era.
In her welcome address, Vice Chancellor of Women University Mardan Prof Dr Razia Sultana thanked the guests and said Allama Iqbal had great expectations from the younger generation and consistently taught them the lesson of Khudi. She said Iqbal envisioned a separate homeland for Muslims and Pakistan was the realisation of that dream.
She said Iqbal’s poetry reminded Muslims of their greatness, while his lectures introduced them to the true spirit of Islam. Comparing him with renowned historical personalities, she said Omar Khayyam was both a poet and mathematician, Ibn Khaldun was a philosopher, while Allama Iqbal was not only a poet but also a thinker, philosopher, economist and legal scholar.
Prof Dr Razia Sultana said Iqbal’s poetry inspired self-confidence, self-awareness and a sense of purpose among young people, while his philosophy encouraged them to remain connected to their cultural identity and progress in knowledge and research.
Explaining the objectives of the conference, NLPD Director General Prof Dr Muhammad Saleem Mazhar said its primary aim was to highlight Iqbal’s thoughts and philosophy in an international academic context and create new opportunities for research and intellectual dialogue.
He said Iqbal’s message was not confined to a particular era but continued to promote intellectual independence and human awakening in national life. He described Iqbal’s message as a vital source of intellectual guidance for the younger generation.
Prof Dr Saleem Mazhar said Allama Iqbal’s first book, Ilm-ul-Iqtisad (The Science of Economics), presented valuable economic principles. He said economics was essential to human life and economic well-being was also necessary for mental peace and stability.
Dr Reza Amiri Moghadam, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pakistan, highlighted the shared literary and cultural heritage of Pakistan and Iran. He said Allama Iqbal’s Persian poetry played an important role in strengthening academic, literary and cultural relations between the two countries.
He said the presence of prominent academic and diplomatic personalities at the conference reflected their deep interest in Allama Iqbal. He observed that although Iqbal was widely known as a poet, he was also a thinker, philosopher and political visionary who made remarkable predictions about the future.
The Iranian ambassador described Pakistan as a source of pride for being the birthplace of Iqbal and said Iqbal belonged to the world of thought and intellectualism. He said Iqbal enjoyed immense popularity in Iran as he did in Pakistan. Describing Iqbal as a sun-like personality, he said Iqbal was not merely an individual but an entire school of thought. He added that although Iqbal never visited Iran, he understood the country and its culture profoundly, which Iranians considered a matter of pride.
Keynote speaker Barrister Waleed Iqbal, legal expert, educationist, former senator and grandson of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, spoke on Iqbal’s philosophy and its relevance to contemporary challenges. He said Iqbal’s philosophy of Khudi taught individuals to recognise their potential and pursue purposeful action, while his intellectual vision provided a foundation for national sovereignty and collective progress.
He said promoting Iqbal studies and intellectual research at universities could help develop creativity, critical thinking and academic self-confidence among students. He said Iqbal regarded the nation as the body and the poet as the eye of the nation. He also said Iqbal began his professional career as a lecturer immediately after completing his education before entering the legal profession.
Barrister Waleed Iqbal said themes of human welfare, social justice and economic equity were reflected in Iqbal’s poetry as early as 1907, when he was studying at Cambridge. He said two books had been published on Iqbal’s legal career and that Iqbal had handled 111 cases during his lifetime. He recommended the reintroduction of Allama Iqbal’s famous poem, “Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua”, in school curricula.
Justice Dr Syed Muhammad Anwar, Chief Justice of the Federal Shariat Court, Islamabad, spoke on Iqbal’s concept of justice, Islamic thought and social responsibilities. He said that, according to Iqbal, justice, moral values and collective consciousness were fundamental to the development of a strong society.
Dr Abdul Rauf Rafiqui, Director of Iqbal Academy Pakistan, Lahore, spoke about Iqbal studies and the preservation of Iqbal’s intellectual legacy. He said making authentic texts, ideas and literary works of Iqbal accessible to the younger generation was an important academic and national responsibility.
Brigadier (R) Dr Waheed-uz-Zaman Tariq, Iqbal scholar, Persian poet and literary figure, recalled his participation in the centenary celebrations of Iqbal and expressed pleasure at being part of the 150th-anniversary celebrations. He highlighted the consequences of economic inequality, saying societies could not sustain themselves amid severe economic disparities and such inequalities could even lead to the downfall of rulers and political systems.
He said Iqbal used the Persian language as an effective medium to express his philosophy of Khudi and human dignity, and his poetry continued to serve as a source of intellectual enlightenment.
Prof Dr Rafiq-ul-Islam, Chairman of the Department of Iqbal Studies at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, said various literary journals and magazines had published special issues on Iqbal, which had become an enduring part of literary history. He said the pioneering efforts undertaken during the present Iqbal commemorations would always be remembered in future celebrations.
He said Iqbal envisioned a modern Islamic university and strongly advocated girls’ education. He suggested the inclusion of courses in curricula to provide children with practical household management skills. He also recommended optional courses for girls focusing on domestic psychology and first aid training.
Dr Humair Shahbaz of the Department of Persian and Director, Department of Translation and Interpretation, National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad, highlighted the intellectual and cultural dimensions of Iqbal’s Persian poetry. He said Iqbal’s Persian works contained profound concepts of human dignity, selfhood and spiritual development, which could serve as a bridge for dialogue between Eastern and Western intellectual traditions.
Mr Faisal Ghori, Country Director, Askari Bank, spoke on Iqbal’s philosophy of ambition and achievement. Referring to Iqbal’s vision, he said a goal might initially appear as distant as the sky, but once achieved, it became as attainable as the ground beneath one’s feet. He emphasised the importance of women’s education and said no girl should be deprived of this fundamental right.
During different sessions, Ms Kiran Qamar from Women University Mardan and Mr Tariq Bin Azad from the National Language Promotion Department performed duties as stage moderators. The second part of the session featured a vice chancellors’ session with participation from eight universities. Mr Nabeel, who travelled from Lahore, presented Iqbal’s poetry along with its translations.
Speakers said the Two-Day International National Iqbal Conference 2026 marked a significant academic initiative aimed at aligning Allama Iqbal’s philosophy with contemporary challenges and promoting intellectual independence, national consciousness and research among the younger generation.
