'Dilip Kumar's house declared protected heritage site'

The house of legendary Indian actor, Dilip Kumar, located near historic Qissa Khawani Bazaar, has been declared as a protected monument under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Antiquities Act of 1997 and Land Acquisition Act of 1895. "In this regard, a notification was issued under Section 11 of the KP Antiquities Act 1997 and Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act of 1895 under which it has been declared a protected heritage site," said Director of Archaeology and Museums KP, Dr Abdul Samad while talking to BR Reporter.
Mohallah Khudad is a congested area in Qissa Khawani where Yousuf Khan, better known as Dilip Kumar, was born in 1922. The house is currently being used as a warehouse and is in a dilapidated condition. Samad said their next step would be to write to the provincial Revenue Department to decide the cost at which the archaeology department would buy the property located in Mohallah Khudad. Once the Antiquities Act is applied, Kumar's house will become a protected heritage site and no authority, not even the owner of the house, will be able to sell or mortgage the property or make any alterations.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had issued directives earlier in July to declare the legendary Indian actor's house a national heritage site and directed authorities to purchase the property. This was much appreciated by the provincial government as it assumed that the money would be provided by the Centre. However, the Federal Archaeology and Museum Department refused to acquire Kumar's house or convert it into a museum as after the 18th amendment, archaeology and its concerns have been devolved to the provinces. The Director further said it became top priority to gain control of the house after he took charge of the directorate. "The house is in an extremely dilapidated condition," he said.
"We cannot waste any time, we have to start work on its preservation, to restore it to its original condition. Once restoration is complete, the house will be made into a museum, where the actor's life will be charted for the public, he added. The previous government tried to purchase the house, but despite numerous efforts, it failed to secure ownership. Shakil Wahidullah of the Cultural Heritage Council (CHC), who recently visited India, said: "This is a positive step taken by the provincial government but the delay led to the house further falling apart." The CHC has already advised the KP government to set up the museum, where the actor's personal artefacts will be put on display.