PESHAWAR: Pakistan Wildlife Department on Friday intercepted Peshawari Chappal made of Deer skin for Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan and arrested maker of the chappal, Jahangir Khan, in Peshawar, ARY News reported.
With years of experience in his hand, one of Peshawar’s oldest chappal maestros, Jahangir has made an exclusive pair of deer skinned traditional chappals for Shah Rukh Khan.
After the news triggered into media, the Wildlife Department woke up from slumber to take action against Jahangir and confiscate the Peshawari chappal and deer skin.
Police said killing of deer was prohibited, hence interrogation was being made as to how did Jahangir get deer skin and who was involved in this illegal activity.
From Peshawar, King Khan’s paternal cousin sister, Noor Jehan, is due to fly to India next month to meet him.
“Since I will be visiting Shah Rukh Khan very soon, I telephoned him to guess what he wants from Pakistan and he has actually asked me to bring Peshawari chappals for him,” said Noor Jehan.
It took a month or so to design and then create the masterpiece, said Jahangir who has a long history of making Peshawari chappals for well-known Pakistani celebrities and politicians.
Chappals from Jahangir’s shop in Peshawar are also frequently exported on expatriates’ special demands to other parts of the world, including England, Dubai and Australia.
As a highly wearable product worn by both men and women (in some parts of the country), love for Peshawari chappals is immeasurable.
The footwear took its name from the city of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from where it was reportedly originated while chappal is a local word for flip-flops.
Peshawari chappals are comfortable and semi-closed footwear, consisting two wide strips that join with the sole by crossing each other. The backside has a strip locked with a buckle to tie. It is made of pure leather with a sole often made of a truck tyre – a unique feature of the made in Pakistan product.
Although pure leather ones are more in-demand in Pakistan, they also come in varying designs and colours with often golden and silver thread work