Islamabad:
Several civil society groups andactivists from Pakistan's northwest have formed a 'jirga' orcouncil to work for the protection of Bollywood legend DilipKumar's ancestral home in Peshawar.
The civil society groups involved in the move include theBangladesh, Bharat and Pakistan People's Forum, Karwan,Citizen for Clean Environment and Almi Pushto Congress.
Journalists and columnists like Younas Qiyasi, Syed BukharShah and Nasir Hussain are also part of the jirga.
Addressing a news conference at Dilip Kumar's residence inMohallah Khudadad today, Bangladesh, Bharat and PakistanPeople's Forum chairman Shakeel Ahmad said the jirga wasformed to save the heritage of Peshawar.
Dilip Kumar in a celebrity of international stature andprotection of his ancestral home is a responsibility of thegovernment and people of the region, he said.
The government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province recently puton hold its plan to buy Dilip Kumar's home and preserve it asa national heritage site after several persons laid claim tothe property on learning that authorities were willing to paya sizeable amount for it.
The provincial government has plans to acquire the homesof Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor and declare them heritage sites.
The government's decision prompted the civil societygroups to approach the current owner of Dilip Kumar's home andto request him to delay its destruction.
Ahmad said the jirga members will meet governmentrepresentatives, the Chief Minister, the Governor andpolitical leaders and request them to take steps to protectthe local heritage.
Ahmad said Dilip Kumar's home is in a very dilapidatedcondition and is vulnerable to natural disasters likeearthquake, wind storm or heavy rain.
"We can protect the house in its actual condition and if adecision is delayed, we may lose it," he said.
He asked the government to check its land records and tomeet the original owner of the house to draw up a sale deed.
He also thanked the current owner, Ikramullah Khan, forgiving the jirga time to save the house from demolition.
Ahmad said a committee of land record experts will beformed to examine and establish the real owner of the house.
The jirga urged the local government to name the two endsof the historic Qissa Khwani Bazar after Dilip Kumar and RajKapoor.
The civil society groups involved in the move include theBangladesh, Bharat and Pakistan People's Forum, Karwan,Citizen for Clean Environment and Almi Pushto Congress.
Journalists and columnists like Younas Qiyasi, Syed BukharShah and Nasir Hussain are also part of the jirga.
Addressing a news conference at Dilip Kumar's residence inMohallah Khudadad today, Bangladesh, Bharat and PakistanPeople's Forum chairman Shakeel Ahmad said the jirga wasformed to save the heritage of Peshawar.
Dilip Kumar in a celebrity of international stature andprotection of his ancestral home is a responsibility of thegovernment and people of the region, he said.
The government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province recently puton hold its plan to buy Dilip Kumar's home and preserve it asa national heritage site after several persons laid claim tothe property on learning that authorities were willing to paya sizeable amount for it.
The provincial government has plans to acquire the homesof Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor and declare them heritage sites.
The government's decision prompted the civil societygroups to approach the current owner of Dilip Kumar's home andto request him to delay its destruction.
Ahmad said the jirga members will meet governmentrepresentatives, the Chief Minister, the Governor andpolitical leaders and request them to take steps to protectthe local heritage.
Ahmad said Dilip Kumar's home is in a very dilapidatedcondition and is vulnerable to natural disasters likeearthquake, wind storm or heavy rain.
"We can protect the house in its actual condition and if adecision is delayed, we may lose it," he said.
He asked the government to check its land records and tomeet the original owner of the house to draw up a sale deed.
He also thanked the current owner, Ikramullah Khan, forgiving the jirga time to save the house from demolition.
Ahmad said a committee of land record experts will beformed to examine and establish the real owner of the house.
The jirga urged the local government to name the two endsof the historic Qissa Khwani Bazar after Dilip Kumar and RajKapoor.
