Pak’s Punjab Govt defers road renaming to avoid extremists

Giving in to the pressure of some “extremist elements,” Pakistan’s Punjab Government has deferred its plan to restore original historical names of roads and several streets in Lahore aimed at reviving the city’s pre-Partition heritage, an official said on Tuesday.

The Lahore Heritage Areas Revival (LAHR), in its recently held meeting, jointly presided over by PML-N President and three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, gave approval to the restoration of original historical names of roads and streets in Lahore and its neighbourhood. 

The Chief Minister’s office informed the media about the decision in a statement.

Sharif, who is currently not active in politics after the Feb 2024 general elections, is the head of the LAHR. 

The Government, however, appears to have taken a U-turn on the decision, saying it is still considering restoring the original names of Lahore’s roads and streets.