Petition to name chowk in Lahore after Bhagat Singh to be heard in September

Raj Sadosh

Abohar, June 7

Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza of Lahore High Court today took up the contempt petition filed by Imtiaz Rasheed Qureshi, chairman of Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation Pakistan, for not naming Shadman Chowk after Bhagat Singh against Zahid Akhtar Zaman, chief secretary, government of Punjab, Rafia Haider, deputy commissioner, Lahore and administrator, city district government.

Qureshi informed The Tribune that during the hearing, Asghar Laghari, assistant advocate general Punjab, told the court that there is a request for adjournment of the case by respondent number two, Rafia Haider, deputy commissioner, Lahore. Opposing the plea, the petitioner’s counsel advocate Khalid Zaman Khan Kakar said that there had been a lot of delay, already.

The Court adjourned the further hearing of this case to September 13.

In the contempt of court case, a position was taken that the writ petition of Imtiaz Rasheed Qureshi was approved by Justice Shahid Jameel Khan. On September 5, 2018, the court had directed the city district government that Shadman Chowk be named after Bhagat Singh, but despite the passage of six years, the city district government has not yet named Shadman Chowk after the martyr.

In the main petition, the petitioner contended that Bhagat Singh was a freedom fighter of the subcontinent and gave his life along with his companions for the cause. He said Muhammad Ali Jinnah had also paid tribute to Singh by saying there had never been a brave person in the subcontinent like Bhagat Singh.

He pleaded that it would be in the interest of justice to name Shadman Chowk after Bhagat Singh and also install a statue of the freedom fighter at the square as to inspire the people of Pakistan and the world. He said there were many roads and thoroughfares in neighbouring India named after Muslim rulers like Akbar Road, Shah Jahan Road and Bahadur Shah Zafar Road.

He pointed out that India had also issued postal stamps with the image of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder of Aligarh University, and his statue was also installed there.

Qureshi has his roots at Abohar. His family migrated from Abohar’s Sukhera Basti to Lahore in August 1947.