A disagreement has emerged between parties in the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement coalition over the name of Islamabad’s airport, with three parties demanding three different names.

The Pakistan People’s Party wants the airport to be named after Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister and party leader. Islamabad’s old airport was also named after her. She was killed in Rawalpindi in 2007 and there are reports that it is PPP who is most enthusiastic about the change of name.

PML-N, who has the biggest share in the PDM’s assembly strength and the cabinet, has proposed that the airport be named after Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, the famed physicist and metallurgist who made a major contribution to Pakistan’s nuclear program.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement wants the airport to be named after former Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, who was assassinated in 1951.

Reports say that the topic is likely to be discussed in the next meeting of the federal cabinet.

Construction of Islamabad’s new airport was first proposed in 1980 but actual work began in 2007. The construction was finally completed after a long delay in 2018. It is the largest airport in Pakistan and is designed to handle 15 million passengers.