ISLAMABAD – Pakistan and Indonesia will strengthen their friendship by naming roads and installing monuments in each other’s capital cities.
The plan is part of efforts to revive a sister city agreement signed between the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Jakarta in 1984.
Sources said the federal government has directed the CDA to fully implement the agreement and submit proposals for symbolic activities. These include naming roads in both cities after prominent figures from each country and setting up reciprocal monuments.
A report quoting sources said the government wants a series of coordinated activities with Jakarta’s administration, such as mutual road naming and monument installation. The CDA has been told to prepare detailed plans accordingly.
Islamabad already has several roads named after foreign leaders, while other countries also have streets named after Pakistani figures.
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Last year, Iran Avenue in Islamabad was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and then-Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Earlier this year, an interchange in the F-8 sector was named after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his state visit.
Other prominent roads include Faisal Avenue, named after Saudi King Shah Faisal; Atatürk Avenue, after Turkish leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk; and roads named after Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, and Japan Road.
Several parks also reflect Islamabad’s tradition of honouring friendly nations, including Argentina Park, Ankara Park, and Japanese Park.
The Faisal Mosque, named after King Faisal of Saudi Arabia and designed by Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay, is a key symbol of Pakistan’s ties with the Muslim world. Its foundation was laid in 1976 and completed in 1988, following King Faisal’s visit to Islamabad in 1966.
A CDA official confirmed that proposals based on the 1984 MoU with Jakarta are being finalised and will be submitted soon.
