The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) cabinet has officially approved renaming Peshawar’s Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium as Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in recognition of the PTI founder’s contributions to the country’s sports sector.
The decision was made following a proposal from the KP sports department, which was signed by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur a day earlier. The stadium, situated in Shahi Bagh, Peshawar, is the province’s only international cricket venue.
Originally developed by the provincial government in 1986-87, the stadium underwent major upgrades ahead of the 1996 Cricket World Cup. It has since hosted several international teams, including Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, India, and Zimbabwe, for Test matches and one-day internationals.
Sports Minister Syed Fakhar Jahan emphasized that the renaming was not a political move but rather a tribute to Imran Khan, the most prominent figure in Pakistan’s sports history.
Previously, the stadium was named after Arbab Niaz, a former federal sports minister and father of Arbab Shahzad, a former KP chief secretary and adviser to the prime minister.
Ramazan and Eid Relief Package Approved
In addition to the stadium renaming, the KP cabinet also approved a Ramazan and Eid relief package for one million underprivileged families, including orphans and transgender individuals.
Chief Minister Gandapur stressed that the package should be distributed transparently and must include families affected by terrorism, the disabled, and all transgender individuals in the province. The government aims to complete the distribution before the 15th of Ramazan.
Furthermore, the cabinet directed that salaries and pensions be paid by February 25 and approved an annual grant of Rs4.92 million for 15 orphans studying at Abbottabad Public School.
