The decision marks a significant effort to revive the city’s multicultural heritage and reconnect Lahore with the names that once reflected its Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities.
 
A senior Punjab government official said the provincial cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, approved the proposal during a recent meeting.
 
According to the official, the initiative seeks to restore the original names of roads, streets and neighbourhoods in Lahore and nearby areas in order to preserve the city’s historical and cultural identity.
 
The project was proposed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is leading the Lahore Heritage Areas Revival Project. The cabinet endorsed his recommendations last week.

Historic names to return across Lahore

Many of Lahore’s roads and localities had their names changed over the decades, replacing colonial-era and community-linked names with those associated with Pakistani or Islamic figures.

Under the approved plan, Islampura is expected to regain its former name, Krishan Nagar. 
 
Santnagar will revert from Sunnat Nagar, while Dharampura is set to shed the name Mustafabad.

Other proposed restorations include Laxmi Chowk, Jain Mandir Road, Ram Gali and Kumharpura.
 
Several major roads were also renamed after Partition. 
 
Queen’s Road became Fatima Jinnah Road, Jail Road was renamed Allama Iqbal Road, Davies Road turned into Sir Aga Khan Road, and Lawrence Road became Bagh-i-Jinnah Road.
 
Empress Road was renamed Shahrah-i-Abdul Hameed bin Badees, while Temple Street became Hameed Nizami Road.

Restoring Lahore’s multicultural legacy

Before 1947, Lahore was home to thriving Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Jain communities. 
 
Its neighbourhoods, temples, chowks and markets reflected the city’s diverse social fabric.

Names such as Krishan Nagar, Laxmi Chowk and Jain Mandir Road stood as reminders of that shared history.
 
The Punjab government says restoring these names will help preserve Lahore’s historic character and recognise the city’s pluralistic past.
 
Alongside the renaming initiative, Nawaz Sharif has proposed rebuilding three historic cricket grounds and a traditional akhara at Minto Park, now known as Greater Iqbal Park.
 
The move follows criticism faced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his tenure as Punjab chief minister in 2015, when several sporting facilities and a wrestling arena were demolished as part of an urban redevelopment project.
 
Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq trained at the cricket clubs once located in the park.
 
Before Partition, Indian cricket legend Lala Amarnath also played there. 
 
During India’s tour of Pakistan in 1978, he revisited Lahore and met players of the Crescent Cricket Club, where he had played in his youth.

Minto Park was also home to a famous wrestling arena that hosted legendary wrestlers such as Gama Pehalwan, Goonga Pehalwan and Imam Bakhsh.
 
Before Partition, the park also served as a venue for Dussehra celebrations organised by Lahore’s Hindu community.