CLOSE to where I live in Islamabad is a dilapidated road named after the legendary Urdu poet Josh Malihabadi. Sadly, the signboard is so faded that the name is barely legible in English. The Urdu inscription has long vanished. Urdu ironically was the very reason why Josh had migrated to Pakistan.

The condition of the signboard is rather symbolic. Josh Malihabadi, known as Shair-i-Inqalab, was one of the greatest of his kind in Urdu literature. He created extensively, fearlessly championing the values of liberty, justice and independent thought. After migrating to Pakistan in 1956, he spent his final years in Islamabad where he died in 1982. In the year 2012, the government honoured him with the Hilal-i-Imtiaz in recognition of his literary contributions.

It is of course commendable that a road in Islamabad was named after him. However, naming alone is not enough. Public memo-rials require care and maintenance if they are to fulfil their purpose of preserving collective memory. A faded signboard may appear to be a minor civic issue, but it reflects a larger neglect of our literary and cultural heritage.

Roads named after eminent personalities should be properly maintained, with clear signage and, where appropriate, brief information plaques introducing younger generations to the individuals being honoured. Josh Malihabadi gave Urdu literature an enduring voice of courage and intellectual freedom.

The legendary soul deserves better than to be remembered through a forgotten road with a nearly illegible signboard. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) should restore the road and the signage, and, in doing so, reaffirm the importance of preserving the lofty memory of those who enriched the nation’s cultural life.

Tughral Yamin
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2026