LAHORE: Speakers at a seminar have called for materialising the dream of the late Eqbal Ahmad, a prolific writer, journalist and political scientist, of establishing Khaldunia University as state-of-the-art centre of liberal arts in Pakistan where freedom of speech, tolerance and open transmission of ideas could be encouraged.

The seminar titled “Eqbal Ahmed: A citizen of the world” was organised by the Government College University (GCU) Quality Enhancement Cell under the auspices of the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) to pay a tribute to the anti-war activist who was a rare combination of academic excellence and intellectual skepticism, and was globally admired and consulted by policymakers and academics.

The speakers said Ahmad’s life experiences shaped his political views.

They said he grew up amidst the turmoil of postcolonial India, worked alongside the Algerian National Liberation Front in its fight against the French occupation and later became a prominent spokesperson for peace between Israel and Palestine.

In his opening remarks, PHEC chairman Prof Dr Nizamuddin said that Khaldunia remained Eqbal Ahmad’s living dream and the focus of his considerable energies until last.

He said the commission would take up the project with the government. He shed light on different perspectives of his life, including the striking moral character, he maintained throughout his life.

Prof Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy, an eminent nuclear physicist and writer, reminded Nawaz Sharif that he in his first tenure as prime minister had assured Mr Ahmad to provide land to build Khaldunia University.

He said later the late Benazir Bhutto did not carry forward the project apparently because Mr Ahmad had criticised policies of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto during his regime.

Richard Anderson Falk, an eminent American professor emeritus of international law at Princeton University, said there was a need for universities which produced global citizens having empathy, respect and love for every nation irrespective of their faith, caste, colour and creed.

He discussed in detail the struggle of Mr Ahmed, his political and academic views and interesting incidents from their longstanding friendship.

Other speakers said that Mr Ahmed was a fierce opponent of imperialism and advocated democratic transformations in postcolonial and third-world societies.

Whether writing on the rise of militant Islam, the conflict in Kashmir, US involvement in Vietnam, or the cynical logic of cold war geopolitics, Mr Ahmad offered incisive and passionate analyses of major political events and movements of the second half of the twentieth century, they said.

About the writings of Eqbal Ahmed, GCU QEC Iram Sohail quoted American philosopher, Noam Choomsky: “It is a fascinating experience to view major events of the past half century through Eqbal Ahmed’s discerning eye.”

GCU’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences dean Prof Dr Tahir Kamran and Dr Kamran Asdar Ali from University of Texas, Austin, also addressed the seminar which was attended by a large number of faculty members and postgraduate students from different universities.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2016