Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have paid tributes to Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal on his birth anniversary, acknowledging his contributions to Muslim political awareness and intellectual development.

According to Radio Pakistan, in their separate messages, both leaders emphasized that Allama Iqbal awakened political consciousness among the Muslims of the Subcontinent, inspiring them to recognize and assert their distinct national identity. President Zardari noted Iqbal’s poetry for challenging exploitation, advocating for the uplift of the poor, and upholding the dignity of labor. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif remarked that Iqbal’s philosophy continues to broaden intellectual horizons and promote the growth of young people and future generations.

The Prime Minister announced a yearlong series of celebrations marking the 150th birth anniversary of Allama Iqbal, starting today and culminating on November 9 next year. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also paid tribute to the National Poet, highlighting Iqbal’s poetry and the historic Allahabad Address of 1930, which he said gave voice to the aspirations of Muslims in the subcontinent and laid the ideological foundations of Pakistan. Dar added that Iqbal’s message of Khudi and self-reliance reminds the nation that strength lies in the character, independent thought, and resilience of its people.