PESHAWAR: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi has written to Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari to rename Islamabad Airport after Benazir Bhutto.
In his letter, Faisal Karim Kundi requested to rename Islamabad International Airport as Benazir Bhutto International Airport based on a decision taken in 2008.
He said that on June 21, 2008, then the Prime Minister had announced to rename the Islamabad airport after Benazir Bhutto International Airport during his speech on the National Assembly’s floor.
“I would like to recall your memory, that the old airport of Islamabad was declared as Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad on 21st June, 2008 by the then Hon’ble Prime Minister of Pakistan (copy of notification is enclosed herewith) after the martyred of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in 2007.
On August 9, 2008, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued an official notification to implement the decision. The letter states that several countries, including Pakistan, name airports after their national heroes.
This move by the then Prime Minister was to pay a grand tribute to Ms. Benazir Bhutto for sacrificing her life for the country and the nation.
“Such as many other examples are available in Pakistan as well as across the world, the airport names are on their name to identify their efforts for their country i.e Bacha Khan Airport Peshawar, Jinnah International Airport Karachi, Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore, Begum Nusrat Bhutto International Airport Sukkur, Sheikh Zayed International Airport Rahim Yar Khan, Indira Gandhi International Airport Delhi and Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Hyderabad (India) etc, read the letter.
The renaming of Islamabad Airport, according to the letter, was not just a political decision but also in the public interest. It paid tribute to Benazir Bhutto’s democratic and public service.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi stressed that strong public demand exists for restoring the airport’s original name. He urged the Prime Minister to direct the concerned authorities to take action.
Considering the utmost public demand, he said that necessary directions may be issued to the concerned quarters for the revival of the name of Islamabad Airport from New Islamabad International Airport, Islamabad to declare as Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Islamabad at the earliest to recognise the efforts of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for the betterment, prosperity, and democracy, it added.
The Governor expressed hope for a positive response from the Prime Minister.
In October 2022, a Lawmaker of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Nawabzada Iftikhar, had tabled a resolution in the National Assembly seeking to name the Islamabad International Airport (IIA) after former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. The house had passed the resolution with a majority.
