Islamabad, Feb 25: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has formally requested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to rename the New Islamabad International Airport as Benazir Bhutto Airport. In a letter addressed to the prime minister.
Governor Kundi reminded him that the federal cabinet had approved the naming of the airport after the former prime minister,Benazir Bhutto, back in 2008. He emphasized that several landmarks across Pakistan are named after national leaders, and renaming the airport would be an important step in preserving their political legacies.
This request comes shortly after the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government renamed Peshawar’s Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium to Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in honor of the former prime minister’s contributions to Pakistani sports.
The decision was approved during a provincial cabinet meeting on February 21 and led by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur. KP Sports Minister Syed Fakhar Jahan clarified that the renaming was intended to celebrate Imran Khan’s cricket legacy, separate from his political career.
These two high-profile renaming debates have sparked discussions about the role of political symbolism in Pakistan’s public spaces. While the KP government’s decision to honor Imran Khan’s achievements in sports has garnered attention.
Governor Kundi’s push to restore Benazir Bhutto’s name to Islamabad’s primary airport has revived conversations about national identity and how leadership should be commemorated.The final decision on renaming the airport now rests with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal government.
