THIS refers to your editorial ‘New names’ (Nov 16), according to which a committee, set up by the government, has given recommendations for naming streets of Lahore after distinguished public figures.

In the aforesaid list, there is a glaring omission of the name of Oxford-educated Mian Iftikharuddin who played a distinguished role in the Indian Independence movement, as well as in the struggle for Pakistan.

He remained president of the Punjab provincial Congress till 1945 from which he resigned and joined the All-India Muslim League under the leadership of the Quaid-i-Azam.

He was the brains behind the Muslim League’s civil disobedience movement against the Unionist ministry of Sir Khizar Hayat Tiwana which ultimately resulted in its downfall.

He was elected the first president of the Punjab Provincial Muslim League at the time of the establishment of Pakistan.

He was member of the first and the second constituent assembly and played an active role in the framing of the 1956 constitution, which was abrogated by military dictator Ayub Khan.

He was persecuted by Ayub Khan for his political belief. Although he never held any public office except for a brief period of two months in 1947, he had a clean political record free from corruption.

As a result of constant persecution by the military dictator, he died of a heart attack at the age of 54.

The Lahore Municipal Corporation passed a unanimous resolution recommending naming Aikman Road, where he lived, after his name but it was vetoed by the commissioner, Lahore division, under the direction of Ayub Khan.

The Lahore local government should rectify this wrong by attributing some important road after his name.

R.R. ALVI     Lahore