Petition asks to change Islamabad's name to 'Islamagood', netizens say 'it is stupid'

From acknowledging that “it’s not even a joke” to some terming it “stupid” and “hilarious”, the petition to change the name of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad to ‘Islamagood’ has already received hundreds of signatures. An online petition on change.org started by Ayham Abrar to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has caused a stir on social media with citizens actually considering the change of name. With at least 404 signatures at the time of writing this article, Abrar has said, “Islam is good. Pakistan love Islam. Why IslamaBAD? Love from Bangladesh”

The petition was started four days ago and since then, it has gone viral on social media with several internet users giving their own suggestions for changing Islamabad’s name. One of the Twitter users wrote ‘Bikharistan’ is better than ‘Islamagood’. 

However, there were several other netizens who pointed out that ‘Islamagood’ is ‘stupid’ and even mentioned the meaning of the place, Islamabad. Many were seen criticising, Bangladeshi nationals because the petition has been started by a Bangladeshi native or ‘prank’.

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What does Islamabad mean? Who named it?

While the idea floating on the internet breaks down ‘Islamabad to Islam and ‘Bad’, it is originally derived from ‘Islam and ‘abad’ meaning ‘City of Islam’ or ‘City of Peace’. The planned federal capital area of Pakistan is an expanse of natural terraces and meadows surrounding the city. The name was decided by Muhammad Ayub Khan and was officially named on February 24, 1960. 

Ayub Khan had even set up a special commission in 1959 with Greek architect-engineer and town planner Dr. Constantinos Apostolou Doxiadis as an adviser on the location of the capital. It was Doxiadis who suggested two areas, one that was outside Karachi and the other to the north of Rawalpindi. Eventually, Ayub decided in the favour of the latter on the Potwar Plateau. 

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