Minhaj Women College organized All-Punjab Inter-Collegiate speech competition to mark 138th birth anniversary of Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal. The female students belonging to Lahore and Punjab took part in the competition in a large number. Iqra Mubeen of Minhaj Women College, Qiratul Ain Fatima of Government College University, and Saeeda Fatima of Jamia Nooria Rizvi got first, second and third positions respectively.
The students of more than 15 educational institutions who were in attendance of the programme adopted a resolution on the occasion, which demanded that Iqbal studies should be taught as a compulsory subject at the school and college levels. The students said in their speeches that the nation has had enough of experience with the education system designed by others, adding that now is the time to establish educational system based on the thoughts of our forefathers. They said that the new generation is being deprived of the thought of Iqbal under a conspiracy and it is the result of this crime that no Iqbal, Rum and Quaid-e-Azam has been born in six decades despite increase in the number of educational institutions.
The prominent personalities present in the competition included Dr Moeen Nizami, head of Persian Department of Punjab University, Prof Zafar-ul-Haq Chishti, head of Urdu Department of MAO College, Prof Shahzad Ahmad Mujadadi, religious scholar, Prof Ghulam Murtaza Awan, Prof Dr Muhammad Fazal, Prof Muhammad Ilyas Azami, Prof Mahmood Anjum, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Azmi, Prof Samar Fatima, Prof Fozia Noor-uz-Zaman, and PAT Secretary Information Noorullah Saddiqi.
The audience expressed their appreciation for Qurat-ul-Ain Fatima, Anam Munir, Kashf Wajahat from Lahore, Samar Yasin from Juranwala, Iqra Nasir and Bushra Bhatti from Sheikhpura, Fatima Noor, Ambreen Sofia, Mahnoor, Iqra Mubeen, Hafiza Ufra Habib, and Ammara Afzal from Minhaj Women College, and Saadia Fatima from Faisalabad for their excellent oratory skills. They electrified the atmosphere with their melodious voices when they sang ‘kalam-e-iqbal’.
The proceedings of the programme got underway with the recitation from the Holy Quran by Mehwish Shahzadi and Naat by Mahjabeen. The guests distributed prizes among the contestants. A documentary on life and work of Allama Iqbal was shown and the students performed skits to highlight his philosophy. A quiz competition was also part of the overall programme wherein questions relating to life of Allama Iqbal were asked.
In her address, Principal of Minhaj Women College Ms. Samar Fatima said that Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri is introducing the students and youth to Islamic philosophy of life and heritage of our forefathers. She thanked the guests for attending the speech competition. She asked the students to learn from the teachings of Iqbal and make him their mentor. She also appreciated the efforts of Bazm-e-Minhaj and Urdu Society for holding successful programme on the occasion of Iqbal Day.
Special Dua was made for the departed soul of Dr Javed Iqbal, the son of Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal on the occasion. The distinguished guests appreciated Bazm-e-Minhaj and said that the need for holding such functions could not be more acute than it is today.
