LAHORE, Nov 21: Several people on Wednesday stressed the need for changing Zia regime rules to allow naming of streets and roads after pre-partition common heroes.

The pleas came in view of a direction by the Local Government Department to all district and town administrations to stop naming streets and roads without following the procedures laid down in the Punjab Local Councils (Road and Street) Rules, 1981.

The rules specify persons whose names can be given to streets and roads and they do not include pre-partition common heroes.

Those objecting to the rules said these were made by the Zia regime which was oppressive towards minorities.

The direction by the LG department did not address any specific district or town administration. But, the recent decision of the Dilkash Lahore Committee to name 26 streets and squares after distinguished personalities of yesteryears was taken as its main target on Wednesday.

Committee Vice-Chairman Ajaz Anwar said the rules had become irrelevant and should be amended to allow naming streets and roads after pre-partition heroes. This should be done to pay homage to those who had sacrificed their lives fighting the colonial rule.

People like Bhagat Singh were national heroes before the two nations parted ways, he said, supporting the naming of Shadman’s square after the Sikh freedom fighter.

The Lahore district coordination officer was not available for comment. A senior official said there had been no violation of the codal formalities while suggesting names for Lahore streets.

He said the committee had proposed the names and sent them to the DCO to approve them as the administrator. Public objections to the proposals were invited two days ago and would be received for two weeks following which the DCO would send the final outcome to the provincial government for approval and notification.

The official said the committee meeting that had approved the naming of Shadman Square after Bhagat Singh had considered him a common hero of (now) a minority, saying there was no restriction on doing so because of the protection and respect given to the minorities by the Constitution and the Quaid-i-Azam.