Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium to get new name

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to change the name of Lahore’s historic Gaddafi Stadium— nearly five decades after it was named in honour of former Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi. 

According to details, there have been a number of attempts in the past to change the name of the stadium, but all of them were for political reasons.

However, this time, the reason is not political, said PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja.

“This one is purely financial,” Ramiz told the publication, adding that other stadiums in the country, including the National Stadium Karachi (NSK), could also be renamed. 

As per PCB Chairman, the board was in advanced negotiations with a number of sponsors, one of which would win the chance to have the stadium renamed after it.

Gaddafi, country’s fourth-largest stadium, houses the PCB headquarters. It was initially named Lahore Stadium at the time of its construction in 1959. 

Later in 1974, the stadium was renamed by the then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto as Gaddafi Stadium after the former Libyan President visited Lahore and gave a speech in favor of Pakistan's right to pursue nuclear weapons at the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

Gaddafi Stadium was renovated to host the 1996 Cricket World Cup final.