For once India-Pakistan political differences were forgotten as Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan led his nation in paying heartfelt tributes to India’s film legend Dilip Kumar, who passed away in Mumbai early on Wednesday. He recalled Dilip Kumar’s contribution to the establishment of  Pakistan’s largest cancer hospital named after the premier’s late mother Shaukat Khanum.

"I can never forget his generosity in giving his time to help raise funds for SKMTH when the project launched. This is the most difficult time - to raise the first 10% of the funds and his appearance in Pakistan and London helped raise huge amounts,” said Imran Khan.

“Apart from this, for my generation, Dilip Kumar was the greatest and most versatile actor,” he added.

"Saddened to learn of Dilip Kumar's passing," the premier tweeted.

Leading media outlet Dawn described the 98-year-old actor’s demise as “devastating news”. The Express Tribune paid a moving tribute, presenting the thespian’s life in pictures with the caption “King of Tragedy's journey in Bollywood”.

Condolences started pouring in on social media as celebrities and politicians paid their respects to the late actor, who was born Mohammed Yusuf Khan in Pakistan’s Peshawar city on December 11, 1922 – then in undivided British-ruled India – and commanded a huge fan base in the country. He was presented Pakistan’s highest civilian award Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 1998 and received huge adulations during his couple of visits to the country of his birth.

 Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said Dilip Kumar’s death marked the end of a golden era in the world of film. He said Dilip Kumar was an artist with great talent from whom actors learned the art of acting.

He said wherever Urdu is spoken and understood, Kumar had his lovers.

"An Iconic hero! Dilip Kumar is no more, loved by millions of people in the sub-continent and around the world tragedy king will be missed always," Fawad penned.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi, who hails from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (KPK) of which Peshawar is now the capital,  said Dilip Kumar’s death was a huge loss for his fans “from KPK to Mumbai and across the globe".

Sindh province Governor Imran Ismail said this was a sad day and called the actor a "man with a golden heart".

Actress Kubra Khan in an Instagram post said "They’ll be one more star in the sky tonight".

Theatre director and actor Omair Rana remembered Kumar as a "legend", paying tribute through a heartfelt message of remembrance.

Actor, director and producer Reema Khan expressed shock and posted a picture of herself with Kumar.

"I [had] the honour to be with him and his very faithful and beautiful wife (Saira Bano Jee) in 2004 in their residential abode. I spent a pretty good time with them," she wrote on Twitter

"The previous and the present century will never witness a most popular personality like him,’ she added.

Filmmaker and actor Usman Mukhtar called Kumar's passing the end of an era. "An institution is gone! what a phenomenal legacy you’ve left behind!" he wrote.

Actor Imran Abbas posted a picture of himself with Kumar and wrote, "I still remember the day you spoke to me and my parents on [the] phone from Mumbai and then invited me to your place and the Eid I spent with you. I was literally awed and spellbound with your presence. I can’t comprehend my feelings of losing an institution."

Actor Adnan Siddiqui called Kumar "an institution in himself". "Legend would be an understatement," he wrote. "Thespians don’t die. They live on in their work."

(SAM)