Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari on Sunday said it is irony to know that certain elements in Paksitan are opposing the move to rename a square in Lahore in the memory of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, as India and Pakistan share a common heritage.
"This is heartening to note that there are liberal elements in Pakistan's city of Lahore who are trying to ensure that a square in the city is renamed in the memory of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, who martyred in the city,"
He further added, "India and Pakistan do share a common heritage so far as the struggle for freedom is concerned and it is ironical that you have hard-line elements in Pakistan, like Hafiz Saeed and his ilk, which are trying to oppose this tooth and nail. We do hope that the liberal triumphs and the memory of Bhagat Singh are honored."
According to a Times of India report, Awami Workers Party, a section of liberal Pakistanis, along with some journalists, have been lobbying hard to have Fawara Chowk in central Lahore renamed in the memory of Bhagat Singh. But the hard-line extremist, including Hafiz Saeed of Jamaat-ud-Dawah, has condemned this move and a case has been filed in Lahore High Court against this.
