Dilip Kumar’s Old Ancestral Home In Peshawar On The Verge Of Collapse; Pakistan’s National Heritage Monument Ruined Due To Rain

Late veteran Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar left for his heavenly abode at the age of 98. He passed away in July 2021, leaving behind a legacy that will always be cherished by his fans and the coming generations. He left a huge impact not only on the Indian but also on the Pakistani entertainment industry. Despite his passing, fans always remembered him with fondness. Now, shocking news regarding his ancestral home in Pakistan is going viral on social media, which has left everyone shocked.

As reported by the Free Press Journal, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner’s ancestral home is in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Declared as a national heritage monument by the then-Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 2014, the house is on the verge of collapse. As per the report, the building was severely damaged in the recent rains. This has led to false claims of rehabilitating and renovating the house by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Archive Department to be exposed. 

For those who don’t know, Dilip Kumar spent the initial 12 years of his life in Peshawar city’s Qissa Khwani Bazar, living in his home which was located in Mohallah Khudadad before moving to India in 1932. As reported by the media publication, the Secretary of Heritage Council KPK province, Shakeel Waheedullah Khan, revealed that the rains in Peshwar badly damaged Kumar’s house. Built in 1880, Khan stated that despite pledging grants from the previous KPK government, not even a single penny has been spent on protecting and preserving the national heritage property. The reservation of the property is the government’s responsibility as it is so old, added that official. 

According to the report, many local socio-political circles have expressed their concern about the archive department’s attitude to prevent the national asset from collapsing. The claims by the Department of Archive remain limited to press statements considering that no steps were taken to protect the national heritage from natural calamities. Tourists, that have been visiting the home from all over the world, are disappointed after seeing the dilapidated condition of the historic asset. 

Muhammad Ali Mir revealed that he was properly looking after the house with great care. He was taking care of the house before the Archive Department took over. The condition of the house started deteriorating after the department took over the rehab and renovation process, which, as per the FPJ, remained restricted to only news statements. The property has been turned into a ghosthouse. 

Quoted by the media publication, he said, “Kumar had great love and respect for the people of Peshawar and, unfortunately, our department could do nothing to protect his house from being collapsed.”