What’s in a name? For residents of Pakistan Mukku, a quiet junction nestled on the border of Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts in Kerala, their village’s intriguing name has long been a quirky local identifier, simply meaning ‘Pakistan Junction.’ But recently, this innocuous moniker has unexpectedly become a flashpoint in a burgeoning political and cultural debate, fueled by broader geopolitical currents.
The spark for this controversy ignited after the Public Works Department (PWD) erected a new signboard featuring the traditional name following recent road renovations. Seizing on this, Anoop Antony Joseph, the BJP Kerala State general secretary, voiced strong objections, particularly via social media. He publicly questioned the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) government’s stance, implying a selective approach to cultural sensitivities. Joseph argued that while certain historical events couldn’t be commemorated, a locality proudly bearing the name ‘Pakistan’ was allowed to exist. He asserted that the BJP’s prior attempts to rename the junction had garnered public support, yet the Communist administration had reportedly blocked the change and reinstalled the contentious board.
This isn’t the first time the name ‘Pakistan Mukku’ has sparked contention. Back in May 2025, following a significant India-Pakistan conflict related to the Pahalgam attack, a BJP member within the Kunnathoor panchayat had formally pushed for a resolution to change the name. K. Valsala Kumari, the Kunnathoor panchayat president, confirmed that while the committee did forward this request to the State government (as local bodies lack the authority for such name changes), she suggested that the current resurgence of the issue might be politically motivated, given the impending elections.
However, the call for renaming hasn’t been universally embraced. N. Thulasi, a CPI(M) panchayat member, stood as the sole dissenting voice, emphasizing that the local residents’ sentiments were never consulted. ‘We have all grown up with this name,’ Thulasi stated, highlighting that the area is a peaceful coexistence of various faiths. He pointed out that no residents had ever requested a name change, nor had any official survey been conducted to gauge their opinions. Thulasi also recounted past unsuccessful attempts to rename the junction, first to ‘Shanthisthan Mukku’ and then to ‘Indira Nagar,’ neither of which ever gained traction with the community.
Another Pakistan Junction
Intriguingly, this isn’t the only ‘Pakistan Mukku’ in Kerala. Another locality bearing the same name exists within the Kallara grama panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram. Maniyan, the ward member for Aruvippuram where this second junction is situated, confirmed that residents there have also expressed no desire for a name change.
Despite the current political fervor, a definitive origin story for why these places came to be named ‘Pakistan Mukku’ remains elusive to the local communities and authorities alike.