Islamabad: A blue-eyed, handsome young chai wala or tea seller from Pakistan has become an internet sensation after a local photographer posted his picture on social media.
Chai wala Arshad Khan, who works at Islamabad’s Sunday Bazaar (Peshawar Chowk), has women gushing over his good looks.
The Instagram post on October 14 by aspiring photographer Jiah Ali (@jiah_ali) went viral; #chaiwala was among the top Twitter trends on Monday.
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Social media’s new darling, Arshad Khan, hates being stopped for selfies. |
Source: Jiah Ali (@jiah_ali) |
The story was picked up by international media, including popular US website BuzzFeed.
After the reports, retail site fitin.pk has signed Khan up as a model for an undisclosed amount and his first shoot is already out, the Dawn reported on Wednesday.
One of 18 siblings, Khan hails from Kohat and has been making tea at Islamabad's Sunday Bazaar for three months. He has never been to school.
According to Dawn, Khan doesn't know when his photograph was taken or who took it.
In an interview with local TV news, Arshad indicated that he has been living in Islamabad for the past 25 years and joined the tea stall a few months ago, the Daily Pakistan reported.
When asked if he knew what Twitter or Instagram is, Arshad replied that he has no idea what those things meant.
Brother of 17 siblings, he expressed his joy at becoming famous in one day.
Talking to Dunya News, he said that he is happy with his overnight popularity but it is irritating when people gather around him for pictures during working hours as he is supposed to work to earn a livelihood.
Arshad said that people have taken more than 150 pictures with him so far.
Twitter has been abuzz with comments on Arshad’s good looks.
“Hello Indians, this is a chai wala from Pakistan mashallah,” said one post.
‘I present you with a chai wala (tea seller) in Pakistan who forgot that he should’ve been modelling instead,” said another.
“Meet the steamin’ hot ‘chai wala’ from Islamabad (Pakistan), who’s going viral as we speak,” went another post, with a picture of Arshad in blue, and pouring out tea.
“A chai wala from Pakistan is now famous on Indian social media. This is truly aman kee aasha [Hope for Peace],” said one Twitter post.
Another Twitter user, commenting on the current India-Pakistan tensions, said: “India and Pakistan are divided by terrorism and cricket but are united by hot chai wala. Funny but true.”
