Cobbler pays Rs50,000 fine for snakeskin shoes meant for PM Imran
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A day after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Wildlife Department confiscated the snakeskin sandals meant for Prime Minister Imran Khan, its creator, Nooruddin Shinwari, got the shoe back on Monday after paying a fine of Rs50,000.
The department took action against Shinwari, the famous Kaptaan Chappal creator, after the pictures of snakeskin sandals went viral on social media, saying that if the chappals were indeed made of snakeskin then the cobbler would have to face legal consequences as well as a fine.
"I have got the chappal [sandals] back after paying a fine of Rs50,000 and now I will present it to Prime Minister Imran Khan as an Eid gift," Nooruddin told DawnNewsTV.
Sub Divisional Forest Officer Amir Ali confirmed to DawnNewsTV that the craftsman was slapped a fine of Rs50,000 after it was found that the sandals were made of python leather.
"The shopkeeper has no documents to establish that the snakeskin was imported," he said. Shinwari was also warned against using the skin of wild animals in the future and made to sign an affidavit attesting that he would not use the skin of wildlife creatures again.
On Sunday, the government had confiscated the shoe to verify if it was made up of snakeskin in violation of local rules and regulations.
According to Nooruddin and his son Islam, the serpentine material had been sent from the United States to the shop for two pairs; one for the donor and one for the Kaptaan to slip on.
“No matter who the sandals were being made for, an illegal act would never be tolerated," KP Minister for Environment Ishtiaq Urmur had said.
“If it is proven that the chappals were indeed made of snakeskin then the cobbler will have to face legal consequences as well as a fine provided he shows necessary documentation that it was [legally] imported.”
Back in 2015, the traditional Peshawari chappal or sandal was launched by Nooruddin as Kaptaan Chappal.
“The special double-soled Peshawari chappal had been in fashion since long but when I gifted a pair of this especially designed new brand to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Imran Khan on his wedding, the shoe became an instant favourite with all and sundry,” Nooruddin had told Dawn back then.
He had said that soon after, most KP ministers and Pashtun population in the Gulf states began placing orders for Kaptaan Chappal in large numbers.
