Pak HC hosts event on Allama Iqbal, academics laud poet

Pakistan High Commission here organised a function to celebrate the life and works of renowned Urdu poet Allama Iqbal as part of a series of events to mark 70 years of the country.

The timeless relevance of Iqbal's universal message and his contributions towards the spiritual, moral and intellectual elevation of the people of the subcontinent in particular, and of humanity in general, were emphasised at the event held on Friday, the Pakistan High Commission said in a statement.

Rich tributes were paid to Iqbal during the Youm-e-Iqbal celebrations that were part of the series of events that the High Commission is holding in connection with the completion of 70 years of Pakistan, titled 'Pakistan at 70', it said.

Professor Abdul Haq, an eminent scholar of Iqbal at the University of Delhi, delivered a lecture on "Iqbal ki Afaaqi Fikr" (The Universality of Iqbal's Thought).

Turkey's Ambassador to India Sakir Ozkan Torunlar was the Guest of Honour at the event.

In his remarks on the occasion, High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood paid rich tributes to Iqbal and emphasised that the research being conducted on the poet's work worldwide, even today, was only serving to reaffirm the salience and timelessness of his concepts.

Considered among the greatest Urdu poets of all times, Iqbal, who penned 'Saare jahan se achaa hindustaan hamara', was born on November 9, 1877 and died on April 21, 1938 in Lahore in undivided India.