Gandhara International Airport
After renaming the Islamabad International Airport to 'Benazir Bhutto International' the PPP government has decided to extend the name to the new airport as well.
The name previously proposed for the new airport was the Gandhara International Airport.
The airport when completed will be the largest in Pakistan. It is being constructed at a cost of 400 million USD and will be located in Islamabad which lies in the plains of the ancient Gandhara kingdom.
The Gandhara civilization which lasted for over six centuries was one of the two major civilizations in the region now known as Pakistan. It is however not given much importance by those who want to link Pakistan solely to its Muslim history. The invasion lead by Mahmud of Ghazni ended in the destruction of this once culturally rich and progressive Buddhist civilization. This ancient civilization was once the cradle of Buddhism from where it spread towards the far east.
The Gandhara civilization is an important part of our cultural and historical heritage and is one which must be preserved, remembered and celebrated.
We the Citizens of Pakistan would like to see the new international airport being constructed in Islamabad named the Gandhara International.
The Gandhara civilization which lasted for over six centuries was one of the two major civilizations in the region now known as Pakistan. This culturally rich and progressive ancient civilization was once the cradle of Buddhism and it is from here that Buddhism spread towards the far east.
The Gandhara is an important part of our cultural and historical heritage and is one which must be preserved, remembered and celebrated.
We the Citizens of Pakistan would like to see the new international airport being constructed in Islamabad to be named after this ancient civilization as the Gandhara International.
