By Admin 
The Punjab government of Pakistan has approved a plan to restore the pre-independence names of many roads and streets of Lahore. An official said on Monday (May 18, 2026) that its aim is to revive the pre-Partition heritage of the city. After which Rehman Gali has been changed to Ram Gali, Sunnat Nagar to Sant Nagar, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Chowk to Lakshmi Chowk and Mustafabad to Dharmpura.
In the last few decades, the names of many historical roads and streets of Lahore were changed. Under this, the names related to British era and Hindu religion were replaced with new names related to Islamic, Pakistani or local personalities.
Names of streets of Lahore changed in Pakistan
A Punjab government official told PTI, ‘The Punjab Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz a few days ago approved a plan to restore the original and historical names of various roads and streets in Lahore and its surrounding areas.’ He said that this decision has been taken to revive the cultural identity and heritage of this historical city.
He said that this initiative is being led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is also the head of Lahore Heritage Area Revival Project. His proposal got cabinet approval last week.
The names of historic streets and roads of Lahore were changed by previous governments, including Queens Road, Jail Road, Davis Road, Lawrence Road, Empress Road, Krishna Nagar, Sant Nagar, Dharampura, Brandreth Road, Ram Gali, Tempbell Street, Lakshmi Chowk, Jain Mandir Road, Kumharpura, Mohan Lal Bazaar, Sunder Das Road, Bhagwan Pura, Shanti Nagar and Outfall Road.
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Sharif has also proposed the renovation of three cricket grounds and a traditional ‘akhara’ (wrestling arena) in Minto Park (Greater Iqbal Park), which is widely seen as a strategy to compensate for the losses.
Rehman Gali was converted into Ram Gali.
His brother Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had faced severe criticism for demolishing three historic cricket grounds, areas under cricket clubs and a wrestling arena under the urban development program during his tenure as Punjab Chief Minister in 2015.
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Many cricketers like former Pakistani cricket team captain Inzamam-ul-Haq had received training in these cricket clubs of Minto Park. Before partition, Indian cricketer Lala Amarnath also used to go to these clubs for training. When Amarnath visited Lahore with the Indian cricket team in 1978, he went to Minto Park and spent time with the players of ‘Crescent Cricket Club’. He used to play for this club till the partition of the country.
In the demolished wrestling arena in Minto Park, matches of legendary wrestlers like Gunga Pehalwan, Imam Baksh and Gama Pehalwan were once held. Before partition, Hindus used to celebrate the festival of Dussehra in Minto Park.