LAHORE: In its 22nd meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Punjab Cabinet has decided to retain the name of Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium, rejecting a proposal to rename it.
The decision, announced after thorough deliberations, highlights the stadium’s historical and cultural significance.
It was in 2022 when the idea of changing the name of the stadium got some seriousness, and that was when erstwhile Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Raja proposed a name shift connected to sponsorships for purposes of financial gain.
Raja succeeded in persuading the authorities to rename Karachi’s National Stadium to National Bank Cricket Arena during the same year, but the destiny of Gaddafi Stadium has continued to be mired in conflict.
A name full of history
Constructed in 1959 primarily as ”Lahore Stadium”, it was renamed in 1974 after a visit to Pakistan by Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi while the OIC summit was convened. Gaddafi’s vocal support for Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions during his speech at the summit compelled then-Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to honor him by renaming the stadium.
There was an echo for the rethinking of the name in 2013 when Gaddafi died, and politics continued to play into the consideration of his legacy. At that time, the Punjab Olympic Association urged the provincial government to remove Gaddafi from the name of the stadium, reflecting changes in public opinion. Despite all those debates, the name has remained for decades.
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