Lahore Streets Reclaim Old Names As Pakistan Restores Pre-Partition Identity; Islampura Turns Krishan Nagar

Last Updated:May 19, 2026, 07:24 IST

Punjab government approves plan to restore pre-Partition names of Lahore roads and revive heritage sites as part of a project led by former PM Nawaz Sharif

The government of Punjab in Pakistan has given the green light to the proposed plan to restore the names of various roads and streets in Lahore to their pre-Partition names, an official said on Monday, as reported by PTI.

The plan aims to revive the pre-Partition heritage of the old city of Lahore in Pakistan. In the past decades, various historical streets, roads and alleys in Lahore have been renamed, and their original British-era and Hindu-associated names have been replaced with Islamic ones or local figures.

Speaking to PTI, a Punjab government official said, “The Punjab Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, a few days ago had approved a plan to restore the original and historical names of various streets and roads in Lahore and its neighbourhood."

He added that the government has taken this decision to revive the historical city’s cultural identity and heritage.

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He added that the initiative is being headed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is also leading the Lahore Heritage Areas Revival project. Last week, the cabinet gave its approval to his proposal.

Lahore’s historic streets and roads which were renamed in the past include Queen’s Road, Jail Road, Davies Road, Lawrence Road, Empress Road, Krishan Nagar, Santnagar, Dharampura, Brandreth Road, Ram Gali, Tempbell Street, Laxmi Chowk, Jain Mandir Road, Kumharpura, Mohan Lal Bazaar, Sundar Das Road, Bhagwan Pura, Shanti Nagar and Outfall Road.

As part of the plan, Sharif has also proposed restoring a traditional ‘akhara’ (wrestling arena) and three cricket grounds at Minto Park (Greater Iqbal Park). The step is widely being perceived as a damage control strategy.

Nawaz Sharif’s brother and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his term as chief minister of Punjab in 2015, had faced intense backlash for demolishing three historical cricket grounds and areas that come under cricket clubs along with a wrestling arena to pave the way for an urban development programme.

Several Pakistani cricketers, like skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq, had received training in these cricket clubs in Minto Park.

Before the Partition, Indian cricketer Lala Amarnath had also travelled to Lahore and received training in these clubs.

When Amarnath went to Lahore with the Indian cricket team in 1978, he visited Minto Park and spent time with the players of Crescent Cricket Club. He used to play for the club till Partition happened.

The historic wrestling arena in Minto Park has once seen bouts by veterans such as Goonga Pehalwan, Imam Bakhsh and Gama Pehalwan. In the pre-Partition era, Minto Park also witnessed the celebration of Dussehra, a Hindu festival.

With inputs from PTI

News world Lahore Streets Reclaim Old Names As Pakistan Restores Pre-Partition Identity; Islampura Turns Krishan Nagar

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