Owner of Kapoor Haveli demands Rs 2 billion for property

The owner of Kapoor Haveli in Peshawar has refused to sell the house to the government at the price set by the authorities.

According to a report in The News, the owner of the mansion Haji Ali Qadir is asking for Rs 2 billion for the property whereas, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has set a price of Rs 15 million for the house.

Speaking to the publication, Qadir had said that the price set by the government was ridiculous as “half a marla of land is not available in Dhaki Nalbandi near historical Qissa Khwani bazaar for Rs15 million and the government is giving us Rs15 million for a six marla house”. He added that the government has yet not made any formal contact for property and that he is getting news about it from the media.

He further shared that his father Haji Khushal had bought the property in 1965 through a government auction.

“When our father bought the house, the gold was Rs50 per tola,” said Qadir. “In this house, diyar wood has been used which is very expensive.”

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On the other hand Director Archeology and Museum, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr Abdul Samad said the government has fixed the price of the house at DC rate as plots are bought and sold at DC rate in the area, adding that the government cannot pay more than the said price.

Dr Samad further commented that if the owner has an objection to the price, he can submit an application to the Deputy Commissioner.

Previously, when it had been reported that the owner is demanding at least two billion rupees for the historic haveli, the province’s archaeology department had said that it will use legal powers to purchase the Kapoor Haveli as well as Dilip Kumar’s house if needed.

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Meanwhile, Chief Minister KP Mahmood Khan recently approved funds of Rs 23.56 million to purchase the ancestral houses of Bollywood legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor in Peshawar. Both houses will be converted into museums after restoration work.