ISLAMABAD: National Assembly SpeakerSardar Ayaz Sadiq has stressed the need to follow the teachings of poet-philosopher Allama Mohammad Iqbal to create unity and self respect among Muslims.

He said Iqbal’s message taught faith, unity, action and a sense of collective responsibility.

Reaffirming his resolve, the speaker said by following Iqbal’s guiding principles, “we will strive to transform Pakistan into a genuinely welfare-oriented, peaceful, and prosperous state.”

He said Iqbal’s vision rekindled in the hearts of the Muslims of the subcontinent a new spirit of freedom, self-respect and national pride.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also said Iqbal’s philosophy was not only the intellectual source of Pakistan’s creation but also a beacon of guidance for the entire Muslim world.

He paid glowing tribute to the Poet of the East and philosopher on the occasion of Iqbal Day, saying the ideological foundation of Pakistan is indebted to vision and philosophy envisioned by Allama Iqbal.

The NA speaker said Allama Iqbal awakened the Muslims to their distinct nationhood and gave them a vision of an independent homeland.

He urged today’s youth to embody Iqbal’s message of Khudi (self-hood) in their practical lives, and to play their part in nation-building so that Pakistan may truly become a strong, self-reliant and prosperous state.

He said Iqbal’s dream was never confined to territorial freedom alone; it was a call for intellectual, moral and spiritual revival.

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, in his message on the occasion, said Allama Iqbal’s poetry awakened hearts and enlightens minds.

He said the Poet of the East gave the Muslim world a timeless message of self-hood,faith, and ceaseless action.

“What is needed today,” he said, “is to weave these ideas into our national policies, educational systems and collective mindset”.

The deputy speaker further said Iqbal’s famous words, ‘The destiny of nations lies in the hands of individuals’, remind us that Pakistan’s progress, stability, and prosperity rest upon the awareness, unity, and hard work of its people.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2025