Urge for fame

Hyderabad circuit bench of SHC bans naming localities, roads, streets, buildings after influential people

“There is no sweeter sound to one’s ear than the sound of his (or her) name,” said Dale Carnegie, the famous author of many books. We are living in times when most people are after money, power and fame. This is a dangerous trend.

Human history is replete with names of people who have become immortal by making significant contribution to the progress of civilisation. Also, there are people like Casanova and Al Capone who are remembered for being famously corrupt and immoral. The urge for fame, everlasting or the bubble variety, continues to this day.

Recently, the Hyderabad circuit bench of the Sindh High Court gave a ruling banning naming localities, roads and streets, hospitals, buildings, etc after influential people for being only influential.

The court ordered the provincial government to remove names of all such individuals, politicians, feudal lords and those from the ruling elite in two months.

The high court gave the decision on a petition filed by a lawyer. In the petition, he said the Sindh government did not have any criteria for naming government institutions, so those with influence name these institutions after themselves or their family members. He asked the court to help stop this practice of naming things.

In 2017, the SHC had ordered the provincial government to follow the relevant law of Punjab province. The court in its order had said, “Meanwhile, the criterion as referred in the Punjab Local Council Rules, 1981, shall be followed and no street, road, college or institute shall be named after persons who have not contributed for the welfare of society in any field.” The rules bar naming a place after an elected representative or a public servant.

In the West, residences of scientists, poets and writers are preserved for posterity. There is no such practice in developing countries. Homes of writers of repute are mentioned as being near a mall or cinema hall, though it should be the other way round.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2019.

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