Peshawar: An FIR was registered against the current owners of former actor Raj Kapoor’s house by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums on January 17 in retaliation to the demolition of what is considered a national heritage site.
Reportedly, the current owners of the house demolished the upper two storeys of the building during the night of January 15 and early morning of January 16. Accordingly, the owners were accused of violating the antiquity law.
The application was filed by Directorate Archaeology and Museums Director Dr Abdul Samad at the Khan Raziq police station and was accepted by Kabuli Station House Officer (SHO) Noor Muhammad.
The homeowners, Israr, Ali Qadir and Hassan Qadir, were also accused of violating the K-P Antiquities Act 1997 by Peshawar Museum in-charge Nawazzuddin. This act classifies the former home of actor Raj Kapoor as a national and cultural heritage and states that buildings over 70 years old cannot be altered or demolished without government approval and the consent of the archaeology department.
The provincial administration had previously attempted to purchase the house from the owners in order to turn it into a museum but the plan did not materialise.
Actor Raj Kapoor’s son, actor Rishi Kapoor, expressed no attachment to the building and said the Pakistan government can demolish it needed.
