DILIP KUMAR SPREADS
THE MESSAGE OF LOVE IN PAKISTAN

It seemed like all barriers, blockades and repeated talks of battles and bloodshed between India and Pakistan came to a virtual standstill when Dilip Kumar and his wife Saira Banu, together with their best friend Sunil Dutt were in Pakistan for a week as the ambassadors of the people of India who were looking for peace, goodwill and harmony and received much more than they expected. The living legend of India Dilip Kumar received the ‘Nishan-e-Imtiaz’ (the highest civilian award for rare distinction in life given to any Pakistani or Indian for the first time) from the president of Pakistan, Mr Rafiq Tarar. The prime minister of Pakistan, Mr Nawaz Sharif led thousands of people all over Pakistan in congratulating Dilip Kumar on winning the rare award and praying for his long and successful life. Dilip Kumar said “the award was a great honour and made me feel more humble and grateful to the people of Pakistan for showering me with so much love and affection”. He also called himself “a citizen of the subcontinent” and “a messenger of one people to another people who are one in so many ways”. Dilip Kumar visited all the major cities of Pakistan but couldn’t make the best of his visit because of the security which was the same as the arrangements made for any visiting head of state. He visited Karachi where he made it a point to call on the seriously ailing actress-singer Noorjehan at the Aga Khan Hospital. He was greeted by the daughters of Noorjehan who told him that the doctors said she was in no position to recognise anyone and taking her to receive her Sitar-e-Imtiaz award was just not possible. But she did recognise Dilip and she talked in whispers to him, too.

In Rawalpindi an extraordinary on- the- spot auction was arranged to raise funds for the Saifi Hospital. Dilip Kumar’s jacket fetched Rs fifty thousand, his tie, Rs one lakh and his handkerchief Rs twenty thousand. A “meet Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu and have dinner with them” night organised helped to raise about Rs two crores. He had several meetings with the people of Lahore and Peshawar, his birthplace where his ancestral home is. He also called on the governor of the North West Frontier Province, writers, critics and poets and stressed the great need for bringing the people of the two countries together. He was willing to offer all the help possible he said. He was very keen to visit his home in Qissa Khuan Bazaar and his birthplace, Muhalla Khaderbadh in Peshawar but the sea of humanity which had gathered to catch a glimpse of him made it impossible for him. He had to leave a disappointed man. But he did not give up. “Insha Allah, I’ll come back,” he said.

Said Sunil Dutt who accompanied Dilip: “It will take just three meetings between artistes and writers to solve the disputes between the two countries. Dilip Sahab has shown the way. The people are united. The politicians don’t want them to. And that’s very sad. I hope and pray things change soon.”

We all hope, we the people hope.