Even as Akbar Khan prepares for a special screening of his film for President Pervez Musharraf in a day, the people of Pakistan have unanimously passed their verdict on his historical.

'Taj Mahal – An Eternal love Story' is running to packed houses in 18 of the 20 theatres that it has been released in Pakistan, making it the first commercial hit in the history of Indo-Pak friendship through the medium of cinema.

Apart from other cities, the film has been released with much fanfare in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Multan, Hyderabad and Rawalpindi.

The film took a roaring opening in all the 20 theatres across Pakistan on the first day (Friday the 28 th of April) and has maintained a steady run with housefull advance bookings till Wednesday.

Going by these advance bookings and the price at which the film has been sold for the territory, 'Taj Mahal...' has been declared a hit in Pakistan.

It has brought tremendous joy to the maker Akbar Khan, especially as the film had earlier come a cropper in India due to poor marketing.

"I had to pull my film out of the theatres in India because the marketing failed miserably. But the response in Pakistan, only goes to show, what you can do with your product with good marketing and release strategy," says Akbar Khan.

Satish Anand of Eveready Pictures, his distributor in Pakistan, adds, "Taj Mahal has broken a record in Pakistan as it has got the best opening any film has in the last three to four years here. If the film runs like this till Friday, it will join the ranks of superhits."

Akbar Khan has visited Pakistan with a high-powered Indian delegation comprising filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, President of AMPTPP (Association of Motion Pictures and Television Programme Producers) Pahlaj Nihalani, Minister for Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni, political stalwart Shatrugan Sinha, the film's lead-actor Zulfikar Syed, actress Manisha Koirala, trade editor Vikas Mohan, director Shashi Ranjan, exhibitor Yusuf Lakdawala, Shyam Shroff of Shringar Films, brothers Feroz, Sameer and Sanjay Khan, nephew Fardeen Khan and the film's lead-actress Sonya Jehan (grand-daughter of the famous Pakistani singer Noorjehan).

Two grand premieres for the film have taken place in Lahore and Karachi, before flying to Islamabad where Khan is scheduled to have a special screening for their President.

"Our delegation has had the honour that a State guest would have in a country... convoys, hundreds of security personnel, pilot cars, receptions of great dances and folklore. Roads were cordoned off with thousands of people waving on the streets as we enter each city.

The love and affection we are receiving from the people and government of Pakistan is unbelievable," concludes and elated Akbar Khan.