Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has handed over the allotment letter of a plot to the family of Qazi Abdur Rehman Amritsari, the schoolteacher who coined Islamabad’s name in 1959.
Qazi, a teacher as well as poet, had suggested the name for the city and the proposal was then approved by the federal cabinet led by President Ayub Khan.
Subsequently, in 1960, President Ayub had promised a plot to the inventor through an official letter.
Unfortunately, Qazi never received it and passed away in 1990. The issue was brought to light by the media outlets including BBC, but that didn’t yield any results.
On Friday, the family of the inventor was honoured by the premier who handed over the letter for a 10 marla plot to them in his office.
Senior journalist Hamid Mir and chairman CDA Noor-ul-Amin Mengal were also present on the occasion.
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On the occasion, the premier praised Mir for pursuing the forgotten issue, which enabled the honouring Qazi’s family.
The journalist had recently inquired the CDA chief about the issue, highlighting to him that the promise still has been honoured.
Subsequently, the CDA chairman directed the estate wing of the civic agency to designate a plot for the family.
A school teacher Qazi Abdul Rahman proposed the name of Pakistan’s new capital Islamabad in 1959. Gen Ayub Khan promised a plot to him in 1960. I wrote a column about him in 2017. This promise was fulfilled after 63 years today. @CMShehbaz finally gave plot to his family. pic.twitter.com/O5SaPOX9vS
— Hamid Mir حامد میر (@HamidMirPAK) March 17, 2023
Qazi was born in 1908 in Amritsar in British India and later migrated migrated to Pakistan with his family. He had settled in the Arifwall area of Punjab.
The development was praised by netizens, while some of them asked as to why the issue was put on the backburner in the first place.
They lamented at the delay in the allotment of the plot and compared how state functionaries and other well off people continued to enjoy the perks that the state can possible offer them, during this time.
The netizens also questioned the standards set for different sections of the society and how those who really deserve it remain deprived of basic necessities of life.
