Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Decides to Rename Peshawar’s Arbab Niaz Stadium to ‘Imran Khan Cricket Stadium
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to rename Peshawar’s only international-standard cricket stadium, Arbab Niaz Stadium, to “Imran Khan Cricket Stadium.” The decision was approved by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and will now be presented to the cabinet for formal approval.
The summary approved by the Chief Minister mentions the establishment of Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium and highlights the province’s efforts in providing international-standard sports facilities, either through provincial or federal governments. The decision to rename the stadium is part of an ongoing initiative to recognize the contributions of political figures and former international/national players by naming important facilities after them.
The report notes that other major sports venues in the province, such as Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium and Abdul Qayyum Stadium in Peshawar, have also been named after important personalities. Similarly, Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex in Charsadda and Ozi Mohib Hockey Stadium in Bannu carry names of significant individuals. Given Imran Khan’s invaluable contributions, the decision has been made to rename Arbab Niaz Stadium as Imran Khan Cricket Stadium.
**About Arbab Niaz**
Arbab Niaz, whose full name was Muhammad Niaz Khan, was a member of Peshawar’s influential Arbab political family. He joined the Pakistan Army through a commission and became a Lieutenant Colonel. Arbab Niaz was involved in the 1951 Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case against Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan’s government, was arrested, and later resigned from the army. During the Zia-ul-Haq regime, he served as the Federal Minister for Sports, Culture, and Tourism and was also the Mayor of Peshawar.
Arbab Niaz’s family continues to be politically influential. His brothers, Arbab Jehangir Khan and Arbab Fatah Muhammad Khan, served as the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Mayor of Peshawar. His sons, including Arbab Tariq (Mayor of Peshawar) and Arbab Shahzad (Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), are also prominent political figures.
**A Shift from Stadium Construction to Name Change**
Originally, the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had plans to build a new cricket stadium in Peshawar, named after Imran Khan, in the Reggi area. However, the decision to rename the existing Arbab Niaz Stadium reflects a shift in focus.
Journalists, including Anwar Zaib, have pointed out that the influential Arbab family in Peshawar was unable to prevent the name change, even though family members are present in all major political parties, including PTI. Zaib and other local journalists argue that the government should have prioritized building a new stadium instead of merely changing the name, as this would have benefited the province more.
Zahid Imdad, a journalist, emphasized that renaming the stadium does not have any substantial impact on the region’s sports infrastructure. He stressed that if the government truly cared about cricket, it should focus on bringing international matches and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to Peshawar, which local cricket fans eagerly anticipate.
The debate continues as many believe that the government’s focus on renaming existing facilities, rather than creating new ones, reflects a lack of commitment to long-term development in the sports sector.
