Iqbaliat Department of Allama Iqbal Open University here on Monday announced cash awards named as "Iqbal awards" for research scholars of M.Phil and PhD levels for best research papers on Iqbaliat.
The awards were announced, here, in a press conference addressed by the university's Vice Chancellor Mahmood ul Hassan Butt along with Dr Shahid Iqbal Kamran, Iqbaliat Department and Inamul Haq, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences department.
The awards include Rs 20,000 for M.Phil and Rs 30,000 for PhD level for research scholars of the country's universities including Islamia University Bahawalpur, Karachi University, Punjab University and Allama Iqbal Open University. The VC who also heads the Iqbal award committee to sort out best research papers on Iqbaliat for the Iqbal awards, said that those papers were selected, which had been written during 2002-03 and 2004 to 2006.
He said that these awards would be given to the winning scholars in an international conference being held in September by the university. Announcing the winners, Nasim Abbas, who belonged to Multan and presently was teaching in local college of the city won Iqbal award in M.Phil level for his research paper titled "Quratul Ayan par Allama Iqbal Kay Asrat" during 2002-03.
During the same period, Akhtar Nisa, presently working as a teacher at local college of Lahore was announced for the award for producing the best research paper titled" Shuruh Kalam-e-Iqbal, Tahqiki wa Tankidi Mutala" in M.Phil level. From 2004 to 2006, in M.Phil level Zahid Hussain Chughtai who is a journalist, also won Iqbal award for his research paper titled "Iqbal Arshi Amratsari."
About the PhD level research, Dr Khalid Almas' research paper titled "Istiqrai Istadlal aur Fikar-e-Iqbal" was selected for Iqbal award, during 2004 to 2006. The VC also announced that next awards would be increased to Rs 40,000 for M.Phil and Rs 50,000 for PhD levels. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Shahid Iqbal Kamran said the whole process was carried out in a transparent manner and called for conducting more research to promote Iqbaliat in the country.