LAHORE: Pakistan Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Jamal Shah, said on Friday that the guidance and recommendations provided by the members of the Iqbal Academy governing body would contribute to the academy’s mission of promoting the works and messages of Iqbal, particularly among the younger generation.
Conducting a meeting at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, Shah, while presiding over the gathering, acknowledged the efforts of scholars in advancing the understanding of Iqbal’s works. He emphasized the desire to see the Iqbal Academy, a national institution dedicated to the promotion of Iqbal’s thoughts, become stronger and more active. Shah assured the academy of all necessary support to enhance its role effectively.
During the meeting, the governing body members paid their respects to the late Prof Dr Rafiuddin Hashmi, a renowned scholar and former member of the governing body, for his significant contributions to Iqbal Studies.
The governing body decided to form a committee to assess the feasibility of establishing Iqbal Academy’s offices in provincial capitals, including Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Moreover, the members encouraged the adoption of modern marketing tools by the Iqbal Academy to boost the sale of its products through online platforms.
Commending the recent successful organization of the International Iqbal Conference, the governing body members appreciated the efforts of the Iqbal Academy Pakistan. The Director of Iqbal Academy Pakistan, Abdul Rauf Rafique, provided a briefing on the meeting’s agenda items and the academy’s performance.
Subsequently, Minister Jamal Shah, accompanied by the Director General of the Department of Archaeology and Museum, and the Director of Iqbal Academy, visited Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s old residence at 116-McLeod Road, Lahore.
The visit aimed to assess the conservation and preservation needs of the nearly century-old building, where Allama Iqbal had resided for an extended period. The Director General of Archaeology and Museum briefed the minister on the preservation plan for the residence, focusing on the mapping and conservation work of the project.
