Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member of the National Assembly Molana Nasim Ali Shah has taken a U-turn by withdrawing his controversial remarks he made about Allama Muhammad Iqbal on Independence Day, describing his earlier comments as a “slip of the tongue”.
During a speech on 14 August, Molana Nasim Shah said that Allama Iqbal had seen a dream “for which the nation is suffering the consequences”. A video of the remarks was later widely shared on social media, prompting strong criticism.
Several social media users criticised the statement as inappropriate and disrespectful towards Pakistan’s national poet. Others said that while political disagreements were legitimate, comments about the country’s historical and ideological figures should be made with greater care.
Following the backlash, Molana Nasim Shah clarified his position and said he distanced himself from the earlier remarks.
He described Allama Iqbal as Pakistan’s national poet, national hero and a source of pride for the country.
Molana Nasim Shah said he himself followed Iqbal’s ideas and claimed that PTI founder Imran Khan also followed the philosopher-poet’s ideology. He stressed that he was Pakistani, loved Pakistan and respected Iqbal’s contribution to the country’s identity.
He also said that his earlier remarks had been presented in a different context by his opponents.
Allama Iqbal is widely regarded in Pakistan as one of the country’s most influential poets and thinkers, and his ideas are closely associated with the intellectual foundations of the Pakistan movement.
Molana Nasim Shah’s clarification came after his original comments became the subject of widespread discussion online, with the controversy continuing to generate debate over the responsibilities of public figures when discussing national personalities.
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