Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium has officially renamed its two ends as Iqbal End and Jinnah End, paying tribute to Pakistan’s founding visionaries, Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. While this move has been welcomed as a patriotic gesture, it has reignited the debate over whether cricketing venues should be named after political figures rather than sports legends.
A Tradition of Political Influence?
The renaming of the stadium ends raises the question: If cricket is a game of heroes, shouldn’t its venues celebrate cricketing icons rather than political figures? Why are cricket enclosures still named after politicians instead of legendary cricketers who brought glory to the nation?
The debate has now extended to National Stadium Karachi, where suggestions are circulating that its two ends should be named Bhutto End and Murad Ali Shah End—both linked to the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in Sindh. Critics argue that political branding in sports venues is unnecessary and shifts focus away from the sport itself.
Public Institutions Named After Politicians
Beyond stadiums, concerns have been raised over the Punjab government’s decision to rename government IT institutes after Mian Nawaz Sharif and health facilities after Maryam Nawaz Sharif. The controversy stems from the fact that these institutions are built using public funds, not personal wealth.
Critics question, “Did these politicians fund these institutes from their own pockets? If not, what gives them the right to rename public institutions after themselves?” The move has sparked backlash, with people arguing that public spaces and services should be named after national heroes, scientists, or educators rather than active political leaders.
Cricket Belongs to Cricketers, Not Politicians
Cricket fans are urging authorities to honor legendary players instead of political figures when naming stadium ends or enclosures. Why not Wasim Akram End, Waqar Younis End, or Miandad End? Pakistan’s cricketing history is filled with stars who have given their sweat and blood to the game—shouldn’t they be the ones celebrated in stadiums?
As debates over renaming stadiums and public institutions continue, one thing remains clear—cricket fans want the sport to stay about cricket, not politics. Will authorities listen, or will Pakistan’s sports venues continue to bear the names of politicians instead of the nation’s true cricketing heroes?
