If naming trend is a guide, Imran can be next PM

62,378 individuals are named ‘Imran Khan’ as against 515 ‘Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’

ISLAMABAD: Even though the general elections are almost seven months away, we may be able to figure out who the next prime minister will be on the basis of NADRA’s data.

If popularity is used to predict a potential winner then Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan is ahead by miles compared to his opponents such as Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

All over the world diehard political activists name their children on the name of their favorite political leaders just to show their patriotic spirit and NADRA’s data shows Pakistan is no different.

Now, if this naming custom is taken as a way to gauge someone’s popularity then Imran Khan can be considered as the prime minister.

The country’s top database authority record shows that there are 62,378 individuals who have the name ‘Imran Khan’ but only 10 call themselves ‘Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’.

If the search is expanded one will find out there are another 515 ‘Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’, and 111 ‘Nawaz Sharif’.



However, PPP chairperson continues to keep his uniqueness in this scenario as there is only one Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who is the chairman of the PPP.

And primarily it is because contrary to enforced custom in Pakistan of just keeping one caste along with your name, Bilawal has kept two. He is a Bhutto and Zardari as well at the same time making his name unique.

Many in Pakistan may consider this practice as ‘unholy’ and contrary to traditional norms. But maybe in the coming days some diehard PPP fan may name his newborn Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

However, if we narrow down the search we can find 13 individuals who have adopted the name ‘Bilawal Bhutto’.

On the other hand, PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari is apparently more popular than his son. In Pakistan there are 10 individuals who have the name ‘Asif Ali Zardari’.

Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s name is also quite popular among the people. What’s interesting is that ‘Benazir’ was not a common name until former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave it to one of his daughters.

Today, across Pakistan, there are 2,814 Benazirs, while some 13 women have the name ‘Benazir Bhutto’.

A senior NADRA official, while talking about the over 62,000 Imran Khans, said the name ‘Imran’ is already common in Pakistan but it sprung to more prominence after Pakistan won the world cup in 1992 under the captaincy of Imran Khan.