The government honoured ‘Kaptaan special Peshawari chapal’ maker Haji Nooruddin Shinwari, aka Chacha Noora, with civilian award during a ceremony at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor’s House on Monday.

KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali decorated him with the civilian award. His name was among 59 recipients of the award from the province.

Nooruddin Shinwari is the owner of the Afghan Chappal store in Namak Mandi Chowk in Peshawar. He came to prominence after he launched Peshawari traditional double-soled chapel in January 2015. But the footwear got a new lease of life after it was popularised as the choice for PTI founder Imran Khan.

Chacha Noora had gifted the footwear to Khan at his wedding. Due to its increasing demand, he launched the online sale of the chappal nine years ago.

The shoe dealer in an interview with Dawn had claimed that he had imported pure leather from Italy, its sole from Japan and its sheet sole from Germany with camel colour.

In 2019, he came up with a snakeskin chappal for the former prime minister. He then told The Express Tribune that they had imported the skin of a snake to make the sandals for Khan.

And, this year he has developed new footwear ‘Prisoner 804’. “I have never made such a design,” he told Aaj News about his new collection.

The name is linked to the prisoner number allotted to the incarcerated PM in the Adiala Jail.

Chacha Noora claimed that leather from Japan was used in the footwear and the Kaaptan chappal was the most expensive. He expressed his wish to gift him the chappal when the former prime minister is freed.