LAHORE, AUG 17: The decision of the Pakistan Government to bestow its highest civilian award to veteran Indian actor Dilip Kumar, meant as a gesture of good will in the 50th year of Independence, has left a lot of hard feelings among Pakistanis.

The Government announced on Thursday that Kumar would receive Tamgha-e-Intiaz, or the national medal, in recognition of his accomplishments.

Many Pakistanis, however, considered the choice a bad idea.

``This award should have been given to a Pakistani actor,'' said Mediha Shah, a well-known Pakistani actress here. Shamim Araa, an actress and film producer, condemned the idea of giving the award to ``an Indian.'' Other actors in Lahore, Pakistan's cultural capital, had another idea: Admit the mistake and withdraw the award.

Kumar was born Yusaf Khan in Peshawar, a city in north-western Pakistan, then under British rule. Even today, videos of his films are widely available throughout Pakistan.

The condemnation was not universal though. Qatil Shefai, a renowned Pakistani poet, defended the choice.

``I think actors cut across the barriers of boundaries,'' he said.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.