Amritsar: In a rare initiative by Pakistan to preserve the “pre-Partition culture” that nurtured two of India’s film legends, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) provincial government has sanctioned Rs 2.35 crore to purchase the now-decrepit ancestral homes of Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar in Peshawar and turn them into museums.

Kamran Bangash, special assistant to KPK chief minister Mehmood Khan, told TOI on Saturday that this was being done as part of the government’s plan to turn the two properties into major tourist attractions.

Ikram Khatana, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ’s digital media head in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said the ancestral houses of Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor would require comprehensive restoration. “We have already struck deals with their respective owners. These will be executed in the near future and then we will begin the restoration process to turn these into museums showcasing the duo’s journey to Bollywood.”

Both Dilip Kumar’s old home and the landmark Kapoor Haveli are in the Qissa Khwani Bazar area of Peshawar. The properties were saved from imminent demolition by their current owners when the Pakistan government declared them as part of “national heritage”. The owners had planned to construct a commercial plaza in this prime location.