Lahore, Punjab University’s Pakistan Study Centre recently held a national conference titled ‘Allama Iqbal: Evolution of Muslim Nationalism & Iqbal’s Ideology for Peace & Prosperity’. The event was graced by notable personalities including Senator Walid Iqbal, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalid Mahmood, and others. Walid Iqbal, in his address, illuminated Iqbal’s ideology emphasizing human solidarity, equality, and freedom. He underscored the masses’ role in a country’s progress and concluded his speech by reciting two of Iqbal’s poems.

According to University of the Punjab, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalid Mahmood spoke on the importance of understanding and implementing Iqbal’s philosophy, particularly among the youth. Dr. Naumana Kiran, the Director of the Pakistan Study Centre, highlighted the conference’s dual themes, stressing the relevance of Iqbal’s thoughts in the contemporary context.

Other speakers included Dr. Abdul Rauf Rafiqi, who compared Iqbal’s influence to historical figures like Rumi and Jamal-ad-Din Afghani, and Dr. Uzma Zareen Nazia, who pointed out how some of Iqbal’s predictions have come true over time. Columnist Qayyum Nizami discussed Iqbal’s vision of prosperity, focusing on mass development and denouncing sectarianism.

Dr. David Karnail Singh from France brought a global perspective, discussing the politics of crisis and development in India’s Kutch region, highlighting the gradual exclusion of Muslims and Dalits from developmental initiatives post-2001 earthquake and the reaction of marginalized sections to the state’s extremist Hindu identity under Modi.

The conference provided a platform for intellectual discourse on Iqbal’s contributions and his relevance to current global and national issues.