Efforts to create a retrograde movement in Pakistan have begun.

While in our country the movement to change the names with Islamic connotations is being actively carried out, in Pakistan efforts have started to create a sense of return to the past. These efforts have been initiated by the government of the state of Punjab. The provincial cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Wazir-e-Ala Maryam Nawaz has decided to revive the old names of many important roads, markets, buildings and residential areas of Lahore instead of the new names. The implementation of this decision has also started.

According to this decision, Islampura will now be known as its old name Krishna Nagar. Similarly, Sunnat Nagar's original name has been revived as Sant Nagar. Hamid Nizami Road will now be known as Jain Mandir Street. Rehman Gali will also be known as its old name Ram Gali instead of its new name. Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Chowk will give up its long and broad name and will be known by its old name of Laxmi Chowk. Dharampura will replace Mustafabad.

Babri Masjid Chowk will be revealed to the people of Lahore as its old incarnation Jain Mandir Chowk. The return of Shanti Nagar, Bhagwanpura and Mohan Lal Bazar will also be ensured. Apart from such activities, the process of returning Hindu, Jain and Parsi names will not be limited to these three religions only. It will also be extended to Christian names. That is why the old name of Bagh-i-Jinnah Park, Lawrence Garden, has been revived. Fatima Jinnah Road will now be known as Queen's Road, while the signboards of Sir Aga Khan Road will now be replaced by information boards of Davis Road.

This is a bold decision. It is in complete contrast to the religious intolerance and bigotry that prevails on both sides of the Attari-Wagah border. The project to revive the Lahori heritage is overseen by former Prime Minister Azam Mian Nawaz Sharif. He is also the patron of the ruling party PML(N) in Pakistan and the father of Maryam Nawaz. He has long been of the opinion that despite the partition and separation of 1947, the Pakistani people and government cannot ignore their cultural and linguistic ties with India, but rather this bond should be used as a means to reduce tensions between the two countries. Despite being a staunch follower of military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq, Nawaz Sharif has consistently advocated for increased cultural and business cooperation between the eastern and western Punjabs and Sindh, and between Rajasthan and Gujarat. Efforts to revive Lahore's 'Sarva Dharam Sambhav' past are a product of the above thinking.

While such an initiative has received overwhelming support, the number of its detractors is also not less. Several radical organizations including Jamaat-e-Islami have threatened to launch a protest against the implementation of the cabinet decision, while some militant elements have announced to launch a violent movement. But the Punjab government's stance is firm. The common people of Lahore also seem to agree with it. They say that Sant Nagar has always been Sant Nagar for them, Sunnat Nagar has never been. Nor has the changed name of Laxmi Chowk been on people's lips. The names that have been officially returned were not forgotten by the common people. Overall, what has happened in Lahore has this lesson hidden in it for our Bajrang Dal and BJP members: Embrace history, do not try to recreate it. Such efforts will remain fruitless.