Charsadda, Peshawari Chappals Attract People As Eid Shopping Reaches To Peak In KP

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Apr, 2023 ) :Eid shopping fever has reached its peak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where the centuries-old traditional Peshawari and Charsadda Chappals (shoes) attracted a large number of Eid shoppers on Monday.

With only a few days left in Eidul Fitr's celebrations, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and nearby districts of Punjab provinces thronged to Charsadda and Peshawari Chappal outlets at historic Namak Mandai, Qissa Khwani and Jahangi Mohalla bazaars in Peshawar to select an appropriate colour matching with suits in order to look different on Eid.

The outlets of these leather-made shoes were making roaring business in Peshawar where many shopkeepers hired extra labour to fulfill the placed orders.

"I came from Nowshera to buy my favorite leather-made Charsadda chappal due to its durability, excellent shine and affordable price," said Professor Ehtisham Qaiser, a resident of Wapda Town Nowshera while talking to APP at Qissa Khwani, a hub of Charsadda and Peshawari chappals.

"Personally, I prefer shiny black chappal as it can be used with Shalwar-Qameez and paint-shirts during Eid and normal days," he said.

These days, Qissa Khawani's Jahangirpura bazaar, a hub of skilled cobblers and shoemakers were working against the clock to meet the pressing demands of the Eid shoppers of KP, Punjab and Karachi.

In the local market, Charsadda chappal is available from Rs3,000 to Rs3,500 depending on its quality and durability, which is more cost-efficient than foreign brands' footwear and within the reach of common people," said famous shoemaker Muhammad Israr Khan while talking to APP.

"On this Eid, people's response to Charsadda and Peshawari chappals is overwhelming due to the significant reduction of coronavirus cases and its affordable prices. We are working till Sehri to complete the pressing orders of our customers for this Eid," said Ustad Israrullah Khan, a shoe-maker of Charsadda and Peshawari Chappals at Qissa Khwani while talking to APP.

"We have stopped new booking keeping in view of the heavy load of the placed orders, load shedding, and fasting," Israrullah said, adding he has received orders from Punjab, Karachi and Islamabad from customers to buy these leather-made decent, shiny and cost-efficient chappals for themselves, friends and their family members as special Eid gifts.

Inheriting the hard-earned business from his forefathers, Israr said a single pair of Charsadda and Peshawari chappal passes through six stages of skilled hands to become a finished product.

"In the first step, its sole is flattened with a rubber piece whereas in the second stage, a piece of leather is sewn and then the fitting of the piece with the sole is done in the third and fourth stage respectively." In fifth stage, the pair was stuffed with a wooden piece to stretch and fix all the nails, leather, and thread placed together to get the shoe adjusted and make it durable.

Finishing touches are given to a piece including polishing and varnishing to improve its look while artisans also paint its border with a selected chemical for a better shine in the sixth stage.

Later on, finishing touches were given to a piece in the sixth stage, which includes polishing and varnishing to improve its look while artisans also paint its border with a selected chemical for a better shine.

Israrullah said black and gray colour designs with different prints embellished with stones were being proffered by a large number of customers on the occasion of Eid.

"The unique footwear is also being exported to Gulf, Saudia Arabia, UAE, South Africa, United Kingdom, Europe, and Afghanistan for Eid." Israr said these chappals' business was affected by the coronavirus lockdowns during the past and shoemakers suffered great economic and financial losses.

He urged the government to announce a special financial package for shoemakers and grant soft loans to them.

Tasawwar Khan, a businessman while busy in Eid shopping at Qissa Khwani told APP that he purchased 15 pairs of Charsadda and Peshawari chappals for his family, brothers and relatives as an Eid gift.

"Two of my brothers and nephew are settled in UAE, who requested for Charsadda and Peshawari Chappals on Eid and a dispatch was sent to them today," he said.

The shoemakers are expected to earn maximum profits this Eid on Chand Raat.