Islamabad, (Parliament Times) : The Senate Standing Committee on National Heritage and Culture on Tuesday passed the Iqbal Academy Pakistan Bill, 2022 by majority vote. The Senate Committee on Tuesday met under the chairmanship of Dr Afnan Ullah Khan here at Parliament House and vetted upon the Bill, The Iqbal Academy Pakistan Bill, 2022 as passed by the National Assembly and moved in the Senate Sitting held on 18th August, 2022. Engr. Amir Muqaam, Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Heritage stated that through the bill the talented energies will be combined and an improved effort to keep the works of the legend alive and for the preservation of the assets of our county will be better executed. The Committee examined the bill clause by clause and proposed amendments however the committee believed that no substantial change could be observed in the recommendations to the objective of the bill for merger of Aiwan-e-Iqbal (AIC) with Iqbal Academy Pakistan (IAP) therefore the committee passed the bill by majority vote.
The officials presented that Iqbal academy of Pakistan (IAO) was founded in 1951 by the Iqbal Academy Act and re-enacted through the Iqbal Academy ordinance No XXVI 1962. It is a statutory body of the Government of Pakistan and a center of excellence for Iqbal studies. The authorities for Aiwan –e-Iqbal was created by a resolution of the defunct Ministry of Culture in 1984 with the sole propose and objective of carrying out the master plan of complex construction of the Aiwan which was completed in 1997. The Aiwan is being managed in adhoc basis through a management committee, as it does not have regular and sustainable administrative structure. The Iqbal Academy Pakistan Bill, seeks to give effect to the merger of the two organizations, namely Iqbal Academy Pakistan and Aiwan –e-Iqbal, having been charged with mandate aimed at promotion of studies are research related to Allama Iqbal, with the purpose to avoid duplication and weave both organizations in one administrative structure.
Senator Rana Maqbool proposed amendments to the bill; he proposed that the clauses which were contained in the Ordinance of 1962, of the honorary members, and life time members and members constituting the academy which has been unduly struck down should remain in the Bill. Similarly as per the pervious ordinance any two members from the life time members should remain included in the board.
The meeting was attended by Senators Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Saeed Ahmed Hashmi, Keshoo Bai, and Senator Rubina Khalid. Engr. Amir Muqaam, Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Heritage, and senior officials from the ministry and other concerned departments were also in attendance.
