PAK COURT SAVES RAJ KAPOOR’S HAVELI FROM DEMOLITION

By
KOMAL NAHTA

The Peshawar high court recently dismissed a petition seeking ownership over late Raj Kapoor’s haveli in the city. The provincial government had declared the house a national heritage in 2016.

The court dismissed the petition in light of an earlier judgement of the same court pertaining to the acquisition process of thespian Dilip Kumar’s haveli in Peshawar, which too had been declared a national heritage.
The petitioner told the court that his family had purchased the mansion during an auction in 1969. He also said, there were no documents to prove that late Raj Kapoor or his family ever lived or owned this property. However, the court said that the matter ought to be taken to the civil court.

The mansion is in a dilapidated condition and its current owners want to demolish it and construct a commercial plaza in its place. However, all such moves have been stopped by the archaeology department keeping in view its historic importance.