Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has said that the name of Arbab Niaz Stadium was changed in response to the public demand.
Speaking to media representatives at the Peshawar High Court (PHC), Gandapur clarified that the renaming the cricket stadium was not his personal decision but rather a request from the public. However, he noted that someone had misinformed Imran Khan regarding the issue.
He expressed his intention to meet Imran Khan to clear up any misunderstandings and provide a detailed explanation.
The CM emphasized that reports about the stadium’s name change had been conveyed to the PTI’s founding chairman. He added, “No leader more popular than Imran Khan has ever been born in Pakistan.”
Gandapur highlighted that the stadium has been completely reconstructed and is set to host its first-ever PSL match. Additionally, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Super League (KPSL) will be launched, with all matches scheduled to take place at the venue.
Given Imran Khan’s global recognition in cricket, the government decided to rename the stadium in his honour.
He added that he was unsure what information had been relayed to Imran Khan but assured that once he meets him, he will clarify that the renaming was based on public demand.
Ultimately, we will follow the chairman’s decision, he said, adding that if Imran insists to retain the old name, the government will not proceed with the change.
