“I have been into chappal making for the last four years. My father started learning the trade in 1976 at his brother’s shop in Peshawar when he was just 13.

His hard work paid off when he opened his own shop in 1985. Since then, he has not looked back. We are 12 siblings and I am the third among my brothers and sisters. Over the years, my older two brothers joined our father in the business. Later, my father opened a separate shop for my brother in Peshawar. Two of us are now working with our father.

We opened this shop in Lok Virsa just a month ago. I shifted to Islamabad temporarily to take care of the shop. My father visits Islamabad occasionally. The rest of my family lives in Peshawar.

During PTI’s sit-in, my father had gifted the ‘Kaptaan’ Chappal to Imran Khan. We specialise in this footwear, and after Imran Khan started wearing it, this brand has become very popular. Most of our sale revolves around it. We have two kinds of leather: one is the high quality leather which we import from Italy and the other is the local material which we buy from Karachi. It takes two-and-a-half hours to make a pair of chappals.

Business has been good so far here. My daily sale is between Rs10,000-Rs15,000.

I will return to Peshawar once my university starts. My father will then come here permanently.

Most of my siblings are studying. Although my father is illiterate, he made sure his children acquired education. My older brothers have been to college, while my younger siblings study in private schools.

I do not get paid for my work from my father. Whenever I need money, I just ask him.”

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2019