Pakistan: 'Chaiwala' sensation faces citizenship challenges, deportation to Afghanistan

Islamabad, April 18 (IANS) Arshad Khan, the 'chaiwala' (tea seller) in Islamabad who shot to overnight fame after his photograph during Sunday bazaar took the internet by storm, is now facing legal trouble and fighting for his identity as a Pakistani national with the prospect of being deported to Afghanistan soon.

The humble tea seller's photo pouring a cup of tea while looking into the camera with his striking blue eyes had raised him to global fame. However, the 25-year-old is now forced to spend most of his time in the local courts after his National Identity Card (NIC) and Pakistani passport were blocked by the authorities.

Khan has challenged the blocking of his NIC and passport in the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi Bench with the next hearing scheduled for April 22 as Pakistan's National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) submitted a reply seeking more time to conduct a detailed investigation into the matter by intelligence agencies.

The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) have maintained that Arshad Khan, aka Chai wala, is an Afghan national, adding that he was born in Afghanistan and has no legal proof of being a Pakistani citizen.

The report from both agencies stated and emphasised that "no foreign national is entitled to hold or benefit from Pakistani identity documents such as CNIC or passport".

Moreover, NADRA officials stated that Arshad Khan had failed to provide evidence of his identity, birth, residence, or ownership of property in Pakistan prior to 1978.

NADRA officials maintained that as no evidence was provided, CNIC and passport of Arshad Khan was cancelled and a legal notice was also served, directing Arshad Khan to leave Pakistan.

In the petition filed by Arshad Khan, it has been contested that Khan has been selling tea in Islamabad, arguing that the cancellation of his identity documents had harmed and affected his reputation.

--IANS

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