Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) held an impressive ceremony here at its main campus to pay glowing tribute to Dr Muhammad Iqbal on his 140th birth anniversary.

Renowned scholar Dr Fateha Muhammad Malik was chief guest on the occasion while the ceremony was largely participated by the students of local schools and colleges.

Dr Malik spoke high of Allama Iqbal’s poetry and intellectual thoughts and urged youth to follow the teachings of Poet of East.

Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Shahid Siddiqui announced on the occasion that the Iqbal’s Day’s celebrations will take place all over the country at their forty-four regional offices.

He reiterated the university’s resolve to further promote teaching and messages of the great poet through academic, social and literary activities.

He said, Allama Iqbal will remain alive forever in the heart of the people and serve as a source of inspiration for the young generation to keep up their identity and to get a respectable place in the society.

About the AIOU’s distinctions, he said this is the biggest educational institution in the country in term of enrollment (1.3 students) and countrywide academic network (Forty-four regional offices.

The university is actively engaged in empowering and strengthening the marginalized sections of the society through affordable education. Free education has been made available for prisoners, disabled persons, drop-out girls and transgender group. From next semester, Matric-education will be free for the students of Balochistan and FATA.

They are proud of the fact that the university is known by the name of great Muslim scholar Muhammad Iqbal. He announced that ‘Kulliyat-e-Iqbal will be published soon that will be made available to the students on a nominal price.

Dr Shahid Siddiqui congratulated the winners of a ‘Bait-bazi’ contest and praised the quality and standard of their presentations, particularly reciting kalam-e-Iqbal in most impressive way.

Those who participated in the event included Dean Social Sciences Dr Samina Awan, Director Regional Affairs Arif Saleem Arif, Director Students Affairs, Rana Tariq Javed, Regional Director Rawalpindi Region Malik Toqeer Ahmed Khan, and Regional Director Islamabad Shah Farrakh.

Source: APP