Islamabad City managers have decided to rename three roads to honor Hafeez Jalandhari, Josh Malihabadi and Jameeluddin Aali.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to implement the plan which had been originally decided by the board in 2019. The roads will be named after Josh Malihabadi, Jameeluddin Aali and Hafeez Jalandhari. The board also decided that the newly-constructed PWD interchange should be named after nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, who passed away in October this year at the age of 85.
The four names will be sent to the federal government for final approval.
The CDA had recommended renaming Service Road (West) of D-12 as Josh Malihabadi Road, Service Road (South) D-12 as Jameeluddin Aali Road and Service Road (East) D-12 as Hafeez Jalandhari Road in 2019.
Known as the ‘poet of revolution,’ Josh Malihabadi was one of the most famous Urdu poets of the subcontinent. He migrated to Pakistan in 1956 and worked for the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu, an organization that promoted Urdu language and literature. He was awarded Hilal-i-Imtiaz posthumously in 2013.
Jameeluddin Aali was a playwright, critic and poet. He penned the famous national songs “Aye Watan Ke Sajelay Jawanoo” (sung by Noor Jehan during the 1965 war between India and Pakistan) and “Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan.” He was awarded Pride of Performance in 1991 and the Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2004. Aali passed away in 2015 aged 90.
Hafeez Jalandhari was an Urdu poet who famously wrote the lyrics for Pakistan’s national anthem and for the national anthem of Azad Kashmir. He also played an active role in the Pakistan Movement. He passed away at the age of 82 in 1982.
So far, the CDA has named over a 100 roads after prominent figures. CDA member Shakeel Asghar said the three personalities are being honored for their great literary contribution.
