How the nationality of ‘chaiwala’ highlights complicated Pakistan-Afghanistan ties
Arshad Khan’s fight to restore his national identification card after its cancellation by Pakistani authorities exposes how cross-border family ties and rising political tensions are complicating lives along the Pakistan-Afghan frontier
The story of Arshad Khan, the blue-eyed Pakistani “chaiwala” (tea seller) who rose to internet fame in 2016, has unexpectedly become a lens through which to view the complicated realities of the Pakistan-Afghan border region.
His recent battle to have his national identity card — called the Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) in Pakistan — restored after its revocation by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) underscores the tangled social and administrative challenges faced by communities living in this volatile borderland.
Khan, who hails from Mardan, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, rose to fame back in 2016 when a photographer shared a photo of him pouring tea on Instagram. It instantly went viral with people comparing him to heartthrobs around the world.
While he was born in Pakistan, his parents migrated from Afghanistan.
Khan's CNIC was cancelled after NADRA flagged discrepancies during a routine verification process earlier this year, Dawn had reported.
NADRA is Pakistan’s government agency responsible for issuing identity cards, maintaining the national database, and managing citizen registration.
The exact reasons cited related to concerns over his family's cross-border ties and documentation, reflecting the broader mistrust and complications faced by individuals whose lives span both sides of the porous Pakistan-Afghan border.
Khan initiated legal action in April, and after several months of proceedings, the Lahore High Court this week directed NADRA to reinstate his identity card following a thorough verification process, thereby officially recognising his Pakistani citizenship.
Stretching over 2,600 kilometres, the Pakistan-Afghan border is not just a geopolitical boundary but a porous line separating deeply intertwined communities.
Families on both sides share kinship ties, often sealed through marriages, trade, and centuries-old tribal relationships that defy the neat lines drawn on maps.
These cross-border social networks complicate the rigid frameworks of national identity verification and state bureaucracy, sometimes leading to issues such as those experienced by Arshad.
His case unfolds against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where border clashes, trade disruptions, and security concerns have recently strained relations.
Deadly exchanges of fire between the two countries near Torkham and Chaman this month have left dozens dead, while both governments have accused each other of harbouring militants and violating airspace.
Border closures earlier in the year further disrupted livelihoods, particularly for families that depend on daily movement and trade across the frontier.
Adding to the strain is Pakistan’s ongoing campaign to deport undocumented Afghan nationals, which has seen hundreds of thousands sent back across the border since late 2023.
Rights groups warn the campaign has blurred distinctions between refugees, long-term residents, and Pakistani citizens with cross-border family ties, creating fear and uncertainty in regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where identities and affiliations have always overlapped.
In such an atmosphere, identity verification and documentation take on new political meaning, often turning deeply personal matters into questions of national security.
Arshad Khan’s case highlights how these blurred lines of identity create real-world consequences. Despite his Pakistani nationality, his CNIC was revoked when it shouldn’t have been.