Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to rename New Islamabad International Airport as Benazir Bhutto Airport. The governor has officially written to the PM, reminding him that in 2008, the federal cabinet had already decided to name Islamabad Airport after former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. The KP governor also argued that many similar precedents exist in Pakistan where major landmarks are named after national leaders.

This demand comes shortly after the KP government renamed Peshawar’s Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium as Imran Khan Cricket Stadium. The decision, approved on February 21 by the provincial cabinet, was taken to honour the former prime minister’s contributions to Pakistan’s sports landscape. KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur signed a summary proposing the name change, which was later approved in the cabinet session.

KP Sports Minister Syed Fakhar Jahan emphasised that renaming the stadium was beyond politics, as Imran Khan remains the most prominent figure in Pakistan’s sporting history. With these two major renaming debates unfolding, Pakistan’s political and sports landscapes continue to intertwine. While KP’s provincial government honours Imran Khan’s legacy, Governor Kundi’s demand to restore Benazir’s name to Islamabad Airport has reignited discussions on political symbolism in national infrastructure. The final decision now rests with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal government.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)