The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) on Thursday told the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Rawalpindi bench that Arshad Khan — the famous 'Chaiwala' — is an Afghan national.
In case readers are not aware, the passport and national identity card of Arshad were blocked, after which he raised concerns and filed a petition against Nadra and immigration authorities.
During the case hearing, this news came to light when Justice Jawad Hassan submitted a report to Nadra and said that Khan was born in Islamabad, but discrepancies exist in the records of his parents.
According to Nadra’s findings, his father is listed as a resident of Sargodha, while his mother’s name also differs across documents.
The authority added that a show-cause notice was issued against Khan’s passport based on reports from two verification agencies. Khan’s lawyer requested the court to grant time until April 22 to respond to Nadra’s claims.
Arshad Khan rose to fame due to his blue eyes and became a social media celebrity, as well as garnering fame internationally with his Chaye cafes.
He was represented by advocate Umar Ijaz Gilani, who took the stand for him that he was being demanded to provide evidence of residence before 1978. Upon this, the court summoned the relevant authorities along with the records on April 17.
During the court hearing, Advocate Gilani argued that Khan was a symbol of the Pakistani dream, rising from humble beginnings to international fame.
Nine years ago, Khan was a poor tea seller at an Islamabad roadside stall, also known as a dhaba, and became famous when his blue eyes went viral on social media.
Khan claimed he was an ethnic Pashtun — a people living mostly in Pakistan and Afghanistan who sometimes have light skin and eyes.
After that, he was offered modelling and even a possible film which he declined, and opened his tea cafe in Islamabad by the name of 'Cafe Chai Wala' in 2020, launching himself as a brand.