The Punjab government has postponed its decision to rename historic roads and streets in Lahore, apparently due to pressure from some ‘extremist elements’. The move comes after a huddle last March where the head of Pakistan’s largest Sikh political party presided over by Nawaz Sharif along with his daughter was urged to restore original historical names.
The Lahore Heritage Areas Revival (LHAR), an organization chaired and led by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, had approved the restoration of historic road and street names in Lahore during their meeting. However, some individuals including vloggers took up this decision with religious sentiments which resulted into a backlash.
In response to mounting pressure from these elements, it seems that the government is now taking measures not to provoke public dissent and has hence delayed making any further decisions on road renaming. Officials have stated they are awaiting an informed decision considering all aspects of the situation without rushing into anything.