Pak Afghan Youth Forum recently hosted a Twitter Space Session moderated by Iqra Naseer, celebrating Allama Iqbal’s birth anniversary and his vision for unity between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The event featured Usama Qazafi, a young scholar and journalist from Pakistan, and Zia Afghan, a scholar and health diplomat from Afghanistan, who explored Iqbal’s vision and perspective on Afghanistan as the “heart of Asia.” Usama discussed Iqbal’s 1933 visit to Afghanistan, noting how Iqbal admired the Afghans’ resilience and viewed Afghan stability as essential for peace in Asia. Zia Afghan shared an Afghan perspective, emphasizing the deep reverence Afghans hold for Iqbal as a poet and philosopher, whose words continue to bridge cultural connections between the two nations.
Poet Irsa Ahmed from Pakistan, unable to join live due to technical issues, shared her reflections through Iqbal’s powerful verses urging Afghan self-awareness and resilience: “اپنی خودی پہچان، او غافل افغان!” Irsa emphasized Iqbal’s admiration for Afghans as the resilient dwellers of the mountains and highlighted his poetic description of Afghanistan as a paradise untouched by foreign influences. She reminded listeners of Iqbal’s warning that Afghan instability could destabilize the entire region. The speakers collectively called for renewed unity and solidarity, guided by Iqbal’s timeless philosophy, to face the challenges currently affecting both nations.
Also See: Iqbal and Afghanistan: A Vision for Unity and Stability in Asia
