Islamabad
President Asif Ali Zardari has paid tribute to national poet Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal on his 149th birth anniversary, saying his poetry awakened people to their dignity, rights and power to shape their own destiny.
In his message on Iqbal Day, the President said Iqbal provided intellectual direction to the aspirations of the Muslims of the Subcontinent, while his poetry also reflected the wider human struggle for freedom, equality and a life of self-respect.
He said Iqbal envisioned a society where wealth, privilege and inherited status would not determine an individual’s worth or opportunities.
His poetry challenged exploitation, called for the awakening of the poor and upheld the dignity of labour.
President Zardari said Iqbal’s vision called for building a Pakistan where workers received fair wages, farmers enjoyed the fruits of their labour and every child had equal opportunities for education and progress, regardless of family background, gender or faith.
Highlighting the concept of Khudi, the President said it represented the development of a confident, purposeful and responsible individual through knowledge, hard work, courage and strength of character. A person conscious of their own dignity must also respect the dignity of others, he added.
He said national self-respect required the ability to make independent decisions, develop national strengths and engage with other countries on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
“For me, fidelity to Iqbal’s vision means building a Pakistan where no citizen’s dignity is diminished by poverty, no child’s future is limited by birth, and our nation stands among others with confidence and self-respect,” the President said.
He observed that Iqbal’s poetry also carried a powerful message of Asia’s awakening, urging its people to overcome subjugation, regain confidence and become architects of their own future.
Referring to the emerging Asian century, President Zardari said its promise must extend beyond economic growth to include freedom from hunger, access to knowledge and opportunities, and respect for national sovereignty.
He said Pakistan must contribute to this vision through education, scientific progress, regional cooperation and peace.
The President also recalled the contributions of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, saying they gave voice to people deprived of influence and opportunities and affirmed their right to participate in national life.
He said their democratic tradition could be honoured by strengthening institutions, protecting equal citizenship and ensuring that development improved the lives of the majority.
On Iqbal Day, President Zardari urged young people to draw inspiration from Iqbal’s poetry, promote a spirit of inquiry and develop their critical thinking abilities.
He called for translating Khudi into confidence rooted in knowledge, national self-respect into hard work to transform Pakistan into a developed and strong nation, and the ideal of equality into justice in everyday life.
