Peshawar’s Arbab Niaz Stadium to be renamed after Imran Khan

Peshawar’s historic Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium has become the center of controversy after the provincial government decided to rename it.  

In a major development, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has approved renaming the stadium, located in Shahi Bagh, to "Imran Khan Cricket Stadium." The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Cabinet is set to formally approve this decision today.  

Meanwhile, unverified reports suggest that Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches may not be held in Peshawar as franchise teams have reportedly refused to play in the city.  

The decision has been met with strong opposition from Arbab Niaz’s family. His son, Arbab Shehzad, a former Chief Secretary of KPK and advisor to Imran Khan, has rejected the move, calling it an attempt to please the former prime minister.  

He stated that his father’s contributions were recognized by the Peshawar Municipal Committee, which named the stadium after him through an official resolution after his passing.  

Arbab Shehzad also questioned whether the provincial government had sought Imran Khan’s approval for this renaming, highlighting that Imran Khan has consistently opposed naming roads or buildings after living individuals. 

He further recalled that in 2013, under Imran Khan’s leadership, the KPK Cabinet had officially decided that no public facility would be named after a living person.  

Arbab Shehzad strongly insisted that the stadium's original name should remain unchanged.