ISLAMABAD, April 15 Imperialist powers have created dissensions in Muslim ranks, said scholar and deputy speaker of Iranian Majlis-i-Shura Dr Ghulam Ali Haddad Adel.

He was speaking at the launch of a book, Samraj Shikan, here on Wednesday.

The 300-page book contains speeches and interviews of Iranian President Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad translated into Urdu by Syed Mohammad Ali Tirmizi. Rector International Islamic University Fateh Mohammad Malik presided over the ceremony held at the Faisal Masjid auditorium.

The Iranian scholar reminded the gathering of Iqbal's verses which said, “If Tehran became Geneva Muslims would be united and peace would reign supreme”. He then went 400 years back into history and talked of the times when three supreme powers held sway over entire Asia. These were the Osmania Sultanate of Istanbul, Safavi Dynasty in Iran and the Mughal Empire at Delhi; and all glorious cities be it Istanbul, Isphahan, Tehran, Lahore or Delhi were inter-connected and looked in the same direction.

“Now the West keeps them aloof from each other by design, because they have turned their faces towards the West which kept them under imperialist thrall.”

He said President Ahmadinejad was a true product of Islamic system of government nurtured by the great Imam Khomenei who kept his ultimate trust in God Almighty.

He reverted to Iqbal's poetry who in addressing Iranian youths had prophesied the coming of a strong man who would rise and break the shackles of disposed Iranian people. “Imam Khomenei was the bold knight about whom Iqbal had written in his poem,” he observed.

Dr Adel again stressed unity of the Muslim people, a theme which was also expanded by several discussants including Prof Malik who thought that the concept of regional sub-division among Asian states was another continuation of the policy of creating dissension in Asia. “Why don't they speak of creating regional organisations within entire Asian countries?” He said if Asian peoples united, Iqbal's dream about Tehran becoming Geneva of the east would be realised. He also lauded the simple way of living of the Iranians leaders which the state functionaries of Pakistan ought to adopt.

President IIU Anwar Hussain Siddiqui appeared to be in great love with the Iranian leadership and the way they have stood up to western powers including their pressure on Iran to abolish its nuclear project. “This is the reason why President Obama is now thinking of reversing American policy and engaging Iran.”

He said Pakistan ought to forge stronger relationship with its trusted friends like China and Iran.

Iranian Cultural Consulate director general Dr Fossol said despite great adversities and notwithstanding the eight-year-long war, Iranian people had progressed with faith in God Almighty which the great Imam Khomenei had willed to them. “Iran is now ahead in nuclear technology, nanno-technology and all pathway world scientific ventures.

Ghazanfar Mehdi said Iran had taken great strides in reducing the cleavage between Shias and Sunnis, and Imam Khomenei had willed the celebration of Eid Miladun Nabi for a whole week, because of the different dates of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Islamic scholars Professor Abdul Jabbar Shakir and Dr Moinuddin Aqeel reviewed the new book, saying it opened our eyes to ending the exploitation of imperialist powers. The latter referred to ineffectiveness of the UN to reduce the limits of outreach of the sole power which had ravished the world in search of raw materials and energy sources.

Mr Timizi said he had been inspired to translate the book after seeing President Ahmadnejad's conduct and able diplomacy in face of western opposition.

Dr Khalid Mahmud said the book dealt with the problems of peace. He was struck by the way the American President had withstood the persuasion of western powers and had not comprised on the principles of Islam.

The book has a letter by President Ahmadinejad to the Pakistani readers in which he salutes to Allama Iqbal and 'sweetness of Urdu language'.

Kapil Dev adds Delivering a lecture on 'Thoughts of Allama Iqbal' at the National University of Modern Languages (Numl), the Iranian scholar said creation of Pakistan was the result of Allama Iqbal's vision.

He said “Iqbal's role in carving an independent Islamic state in the subcontinent is indeed quite significant.”

Stressing the need for learning and promotion of Persian language in Pakistan, Dr Adel said it was imperative for the people of a country to learn the languages of their neighbouring countries for better understanding and closer fraternal relations with them.

He said the learning of Persian was necessary for Pakistanis because 70 per cent of the Persian words have been absorbed in Urdu. He said it was also the language of their ancestors and mother of Urdu language. Persian also remained the court language of Muslim rulers in the subcontinent. “Without learning Persian, it is difficult to understand the poetry of Iqbal,” he remarked.

The lecture was attended by Iranian Ambassador Mashaallah Shakiri, Numl Rector Prof Dr Aziz Ahmad Khan, students and teachers of Urdu and Persian departments.