PESHAWAR: From the old Qissa Khwani Bazaar in Peshawar, a narrow alleyway leads you to Dhakki Munawar Shah where a magnificent multi-story building stands tall and can be seen from a distance.
Locals know it as the birthplace of Prithviraj Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, and Shammi Kapoor — legends of the Hindi film industry who were born and lived in Peshawar, before moving permanently to India.
The haveli or mansion has stood the test of time and is nearly a century old. It houses 40 rooms and is nestled in the heart of the walled city of Peshawar, one of its most distinctive landmarks, drawing locals and tourists alike in droves.
It was in the news once again when, recently, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that his government had received a call from Indian actor Rishi Kapoor to turn his ancestral home into an educational institution or a museum. Responding to media questions at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Kartarpur Corridor, Qureshi said: “You can tell him (Rishi Kapoor) that we’re entertaining his request.”
That’s something that locals in the area are campaigning for, too.
“Every day foreign tourists visit Raj Kapoor’s ancestral house and we want the historical Haveli to be turned into a museum which could help local business flourish,” Amir Nawaz, an octogenarian goldsmith who resides in the congested Dhakki Munawar Shah area, next to Qissa Khwani Bazaar, said.
Nawaz recalled a time when he was told by his father that the building’s splendid façade, with decorated jharokas, had been built between 1916-1918 by Raj Kapoor’s grandfather, Dewan Basheswarnath Singh Kapoor. “I still recall that Raj Kapoor, the father of Rishi Kapoor, was born in this building,” he said.
Mubarak Shah, another local who owns a roadside eatery stall in the area, said that the businesses in the vicinity had gained momentum following media reports about the haveli. “I prefer that the facility is turned into a tourist destination instead of an education center because this will multiply businesses,” Shah said, adding that the mansion is losing its efficacy due to carelessness. “A number of people ask me about its history on a daily basis. Being the birthplace of the legends of Indian cinema, the place is very famous,” he said.
During former dictator General Zia-ul-Haq’s rule in the late 1980s, Nawaz said that Raj Kapoor’s younger brother, Shashi Kapoor, and Rishi had visited Peshawar, taking with them some soil from their ancestral home which was used during the construction of the Raj Kapoor in India.
The sons of late Hajji Khushhal, the owner of the compound, had demolished its top two floors a few years ago citing that the place was in shambles. However, it was only after the intervention of the archaeology department that further demolition was put on hold.
Nawaz-Ud-Deen, a research officer at the archaeology department in Peshawar, told Arab News that the haveli is a private property owned by Israr Khan, a jeweler. “Basically, it was a five-story building but its owners have demolished two of its floors. However, our department swung into action and stopped him from further damaging the place,” he said.
One look at the haveli and one can understand why. The ancient facility’s grandeur is intact with its majestic design adorned with exquisite flowers and complimented with swinging balconies. The façade is built with old bricks and a variety of arches and represents the perfect blend of Hindu architecture with structural artwork from the Mughal era. “We want to preserve this historic building but let’s first reach a settlement with its owner to acquire it as a government property,” Nawaz-Ud-Deen said.
He added that his department is waiting for approvals from the central or provincial governments before initiating the “gigantic project” to turn it into a public facility.
Locals urge authorities to turn Raj Kapoor’s ancestral home into a museum
Locals urge authorities to turn Raj Kapoor’s ancestral home into a museum
- Insist it will help their businesses flourish as the landmark is a famous attraction in Peshawar
- Multi-story villa was built between 1916-1918
Pakistan, Russia sign agreements to boost imports and exports at bilateral trade forum
- Pakistan’s privatization minister leads delegation of over 70 businesspersons at inaugural trade and investment forum in Moscow
- Both sides agree to cooperate in IT, Safe City projects, minerals and boost trade in agriculture, fruits, vegetables, leather and textiles
ISLAMABAD: Privatization Minister Abdul Aleem Khan signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Russian officials on Wednesday to boost bilateral trade and investment, as business delegations from both countries interacted at a bilateral trade and investment forum in Moscow, the privatization ministry said.
The three-day Pakistan-Russia Trade and Investment Forum in Moscow kicked off on Tuesday with Khan leading a delegation of over 70 chief executive officers of Pakistani companies. The Russian side included the heads of over 100 companies and Platonov Vladimir, the president of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce.
The two sides signed a historic barter trade agreement a day earlier, entering into agreements for the exchange of goods, including chickpeas, rice, mandarins, potatoes and red lentils.
“Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan along with Russia’s Deputy Minister for Trade Alexey Gruzdev and Russian Federation Adviser Evgeny Fidchuk also signed various MOUs according to which Russia and Pakistan will increase imports and exports of food items,” Pakistan’s privatization ministry said about the meeting of the two officials on Wednesday.
The statement added that both officials also agreed that Russia would cooperate with Pakistan in IT Technology, Safe City projects and setting up IT centers in Pakistan.
Both countries agreed to increase bilateral trade in leather and textile, agricultural products, fruits and vegetables as well, the statement said.
“Federal Minister for Board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan termed the visit to Russia as successful and beneficial and said that Pakistan is ready for joint ventures with Russia for the promotion of bilateral business,” the ministry said.
Both sides agreed to prepare lists of companies as Pakistan invited Russia to participate in the Textile Expo set to take place in the country this month.
Vladimir thanked Khan and the Pakistani delegation for participating in the event, the privatization ministry said. He said both countries can cooperate in high technology, minerals, information technology and other sectors.
“Khan further said that the purpose of his visit to Moscow is to encourage mutual trade, increase the confidence of the business community and promote harmony between the two countries,” the ministry said.
Pakistan and Russia, once Cold War rivals, have warmed up to each other in recent years through regular business and trade interactions. As Islamabad seeks to enhance its role as a transit hub for landlocked economies in Central Asia, it has expressed interest in connecting with Russia through Central Asian states for bilateral trade.
Islamabad’s ties with Russia also saw significant improvement in 2023 after Pakistan started purchasing Russian crude oil at a discount rate. The development came after geopolitical tensions almost doubled the fuel prices in Pakistan last year, forcing the South Asian country to opt for cheaper sources of fuel.
Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk arrived in Islamabad on a brief visit in September, seeking to expand trade and investment ties with Pakistan.
ADB approves $320 million to rehabilitate flood-affected roads in northwest Pakistan
- Funds will be used to upgrade around 900 kilometers of roads throughout the province, says state media
- Heavy rains from June to September killed nearly 350 people and injured hundreds of others in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a grant of $320 million to rehabilitate roads destroyed by recent floods in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, state-run media reported on Wednesday.
Heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan, especially in its KP and Punjab provinces, killed nearly 350 people and injured hundreds of others from June to September. Thousands of homes were damaged and destroyed in flash floods, landslides and other rain-related incidents.
The regional development bank has committed over $52 billion to Pakistan, one of its founding members, since 1966 in public and private sector loans, grants, and other forms of financing to promote inclusive economic growth in the country.
“ADB has approved 320 million dollars for rehabilitation of roads in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday.
KP Rural Roads Development Project will upgrade around 900 kilometers of “flood-affected rural roads” with the help of these funds in the province, the state media said, adding that the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) will facilitate the process.
Effective measures would also be taken to design and build sustainable roads that remain safe from climate change effects, Radio Pakistan said.
In December 2023, the ADB approved three projects totaling $658.8 million to improve Pakistan’s domestic resource mobilization, rehabilitate schools damaged by the devastating August 2022 floods, and enhance agricultural productivity to improve food security.
The ADB has been actively involved in various projects in KP. One notable project is the KP Cities Improvement Project, which aims to enhance the livability of five major cities, namely Abbottabad, Kohat, Mardan, Mingora, and Peshawar.
The project aims to do this by “expanding physical investments in urban water, sewerage, solid waste disposal, and green infrastructure, providing institutional support to improve service delivery and the performance of municipal companies and promoting gender-friendly municipal services through empowerment and capacity development.”
Pakistan rudderless after white-ball skipper Babar Azam resigns
- Pakistan’s cricket has suffered due to revolving door of bosses and allegations of nepotism
- Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan is considered front-runner for white-ball captain
KARACHI: Pakistan’s limited-overs team was leaderless on Wednesday after captain Babar Azam resigned, compounding a management crisis experts say has badly affected the team’s international performance.
Pakistani cricket is flailing in all formats after a series of stinging losses, with a revolving door of bosses and allegations that nepotism has seeped into the sport.
Azam announced his resignation on his personal social media just before midnight on Tuesday, before an official Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement more than 12 hours later.
Pakistan cricket has plowed through four coaches, three board heads and four captains in the past two years, at the same time sliding down international standings.
“It’s a leadership crisis,” former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif told AFP. “Pakistan cricket is in the ICU with no specialist for treatment.”
Azam’s resignation came hours before England touched down on Wednesday for a three-match Test series that follows Pakistan’s humiliating 2-0 home series defeat to lowly ranked Bangladesh last month.
It was 29-year-old Azam’s second turn as captain after a flip-flop saw him resign in all three formats following Pakistan’s early exit from the ODI World Cup in November.
He returned in March to captain white-ball competitions but lasted just six months, leaving Pakistan leaderless with four major series coming up and the Champions Trophy next year.
Azam was captain when Pakistan crashed out of the T20 World Cup after a bruising loss to newcomers the United States.
He said he stood down to focus on his playing role as a batsman.
“He should not have accepted captaincy again,” Latif said.
“Neither the team was performing nor was he scoring big,” he said. “This resignation has come very late and that has not only cost him badly, but also the team.”
The PCB said on Wednesday the national selection committee would begin the hunt for a successor.
“He believes that dedicating himself fully to his batting will enable him to play a more decisive role in the team’s success in the shorter formats,” a PCB statement said.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan is considered the front-runner for the job.
Azam is slated to play in the England Test series starting in Multan on Monday, but red-ball skipper Shan Masood is also facing calls to step down over dire performances.
Pakistan has lost all five matches under his tenure, which began last year.
Pakistan signs agreement with Denmark to restructure maritime sector
- Agreement to pave the way for Maersk to invest $2 billion in Pakistan, says maritime affairs minister
- MoU to help Pakistan Marine Academy upgrade curriculum and equipment, train country’s ports
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Minister for Maritime Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh signed an agreement with Denmark’s Industry, Business and Financial Affairs Minister Morten Bodskov on Wednesday which would allow the South Asian country to restructure its maritime sector and provide technical trainings to its ports, state media reported.
With access to the Arabian Sea, Pakistan’s sea ports in the coastal city of Karachi are vital for international trade, help facilitate international trade and provide jobs for thousands of people in the country.
Pakistan has been keen on restructuring and upgrading its ports. In August, state media reported that Danish shipping firm Maersk will invest $2 billion in Pakistan’s port and transport infrastructure over the next two years.
“After this MOU, Maersk (Danish Shipping Company) is ready to invest almost two billion dollars in Pakistan’s maritime sector,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
Shaikh said the agreement would help Pakistan integrate logistics hubs in all ports, establish a deep-water container terminal in Karachi, create an International Maritime Organization (IMO) and European Union (EU)-compliant ship recycling facilities.
He also said the memorandum of understanding between the two countries will help Pakistan Marine Academy upgrade its curriculum and equipment and provide continuous technical and training assistance to Pakistani ports.
Shaikh noted that Maersk has the highest market share of 20 percent for containerized imports and exports in Pakistan. Apart from that, the global market capital of this company is around 175 billion Danish Krone, he said.
“The Danish Ambassador to Pakistan Jakob Linulf also thanked the Government of Pakistan and Minister for Maritime Affairs on this progress,” APP said. “Both sides were willing to strengthen ties for the growth of maritime sector.”
Provinces agree ‘in principle’ to National Fiscal Pact as Pakistan moves to implement IMF conditions
Provinces agree ‘in principle’ to National Fiscal Pact as Pakistan moves to implement IMF conditions
- IMF is pushing Pakistan to achieve fiscal discipline, abolish duplication, levy agriculture taxes through provincial governments
- To achieve this, the federal government is taking all provincial governments on board by signing a National Fiscal Pact
ISLAMABAD: An official from Pakistan’s finance ministry said this week all federating units had agreed “in principle” to a new financial pact that would help bring fiscal discipline, levy new taxes, particularly on agriculture, and streamline expenses for development and welfare projects.
Last week the IMF approved a $7 billion, 37-month loan program for Pakistan, which will require “sound policies and reforms” to strengthen macroeconomic stability and address structural challenges alongside “continued strong financial support from Pakistan’s development and bilateral partners.”
The IMF package comes with tough conditions such achieving fiscal discipline, abolishing duplication and levying agriculture taxes through provincial governments.
To achieve this, the federal government is taking all provincial governments on board through the National Fiscal Pact, a ministry of finance official told Arab News, requesting anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media on the record.
He said all federating units had agreed to the National Fiscal Pact (NFP) “in principle,” while its modalities would be finalized in the coming months.
“A ministerial committee will be constituted by the federal government to oversee the implementation of the pact,” the official added.
Muzzammil Aslam, an adviser on finance and inter-provincial coordination to the chief minister of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, called the NFP a “good initiative.”
“Like all other provinces, we [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa] have agreed to the pact as we feel this will help protect rights of the people of KP,” he told Arab News, confirming that the federal government would constitute a ministerial committee in the “coming weeks” to discuss procedural issues and ensure the pact’s implementation.
“It will help bring fiscal discipline, end duplication of projects among the center and the provinces, and streamline the expenses,” he said.
“This pact is not an alternative to the National Finance Commission,” Aslam clarified, referring to a constitutional mechanism of revenue sharing between the federation and provinces. Starting from 1974, seven NFC awards have been announced up till now, with the most recent one in Dec. 2009.
Under the NFC, the provincial share in federal taxes stands at around 57.5 percent, but the federal government still has responsibilities in areas like provincial road infrastructure, health and education.
“National Fiscal Pact is aimed at introducing synergy among the center and the provinces with respect to revenue collection and spending,” Aslam said.
Under the new pact, he said, it had been decided that the provincial governments would be empowered to collect taxes on agriculture and other fields, which were otherwise federal subjects.
Apart from this, the provincial governments were running independent welfare projects for the needy, while the federal government was disbursing billions of rupees annually through the national Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), Aslam explained.
“The focus is to end this kind of duplication through the new pact,” he said.
“Also, there are numerous development projects that are being financed in the provinces through the center which would be transferred to the respective provincial governments.”
The finance adviser said the pact would also help resolve “financial issues, discrimination and discretion” among the center and the provinces to benefit the public equally in all federating units.
The governments of the Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh provinces could not be immediately reached for comment on the new pact.
