“Pakistan’s Lahore name restoration plan hits Islamist wall: How radical backlash forced Maryam Nawaz govt to retreat and exposed Islamabad’s ‘inclusive’ image facade”, pakistan
, May 27, 2026
“The provincial government of Punjab in Pakistan has deferred its decision to restore historical Hindu and Sikh (pre-partition) names of several roads and neighbourhoods in Lahore due to opposition from Islamists and social media vloggers. In March, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz-led Punjab government suggested that these landmarks should be returned to their original identities.
The campaign was a feature of the Lahore Authority for Heritage Revival (LAHR), a large-scale urban restoration project that was initiated in 2025. It was presided over by former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and endorsed by Maryam.
The program was estimated to cost close to 50 billion Pakistani rupees and intended to redevelop Lahore’s old buildings, markets, roads, gardens and other sites. Its goal was to preserve the architectural and cultural heritage of the city. Over the past two months, at least 9 locations in Lahore have formally resumed their former names………”
Read full article at opindia.com
