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Fawad Khan shows off his green thumb at tree plantation in Peshawar

Fawad and his wife Sadaf attended a tree plantation event, organised by the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital

Updated 12 Nov, 2015

Fawad Khan made his first trip to Peshawar on Wednesday.

The popular film and TV actor and his wife Sadaf attended a tree plantation event, organised by the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre Peshawar, where Fawad inaugurated the ceremony and spoke about his long association with SKMCH.

Fawad visited Peshawar with his wife Sadaf in support of Imran Khan's tree plantation drive, Billion Tree Tsunami – Photo courtesy: Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre's page

"I have been participating in the fundraising campaigns for Shaukat Khanum Hospital since my childhood. I take great pride in giving back to the community and offer my support for Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Peshawar," he said at the event.

Fawad plants a sapling to inaugurate the tree plantation ceremony – Photo courtesy Fawad Khan

Speaking at the event, he said that the legacy of SKMCH has made Pakistan proud – Photo courtesy Fawad Khan

Fawad obliged his young fans with a selfie session at the event – Photo courtesy Fawad Khan

Will Shah Rukh Khan visit Peshawar?

Speaking to Dawn News after the event, Fawad said that he could convey his fans' wish to see Shah Rukh Khan in Peshawar to the Bollywood actor.

In response to the reporter's request to invite the Bollywood actor to his family hometown, Peshawar, Fawad said, "I go to India for work, and am friends with [Bollywood stars]. I will pass on your message to Shah Rukh Khan if I meet him."

A household heartthrob in Pakistan, Fawad bowled India over when his hit TV serial Humsafar was broadcast on Indian TV channel Zee Zindagi. He made his Bollywood debutopposite Sonam Kapoor in the 2014 Khoobsurat remake, for which he also won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut that year. He has since signed on to two more films, Karan Johar's upcoming Kapoor & Sons and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

According to Times of India, Shah Rukh Khan's father, Meer Taj Mohammed Khan, was born in the Shah Wali Qataal area of Peshawar's famous Qissa Khwani Bazaar, where his entire paternal family continues to live.

Shah Rukh Khan's ancestral home in Peshawar; inset: SRK with his cousin from Peshawar – Photo courtesy rediff.com

Does Fawad want some language lessons?

At the event, Fawad also lamented his inability to speak the Pashto language.

"I wish I could speak Pashto," he shared with Dawn News. "I am unfortunately one of the non-Pushto speaking Pathans. I am a Pathan, but have been living in Lahore."

The popular film actor visited Peshawar for the first time for the event, and also shared his views about the city:

"Peshawar is a peaceful and historic city that people must visit", he said.

Clarification: An earlier version of this story included a misquote, which has been corrected. The error is regretted.

Comments

AIZ Nov 11, 2015 03:18pm

Nice one .

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Jawaid Islam Nov 11, 2015 03:19pm

Pathans are so much talented! Incredible. And they are handsome!

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Faisal Nov 11, 2015 04:08pm

My friend he is already under fire after that "intolerate" remark, once he visits Peshawar he will become history.

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Khan Nov 11, 2015 04:11pm

Thank you Fawad for contributing to the society in a positive manner .. SKMH is a God gift for this poor country by Imran Khan and we must give our charities with open heart to it to save the precious lives.

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mehul jain Nov 11, 2015 04:34pm

He will also need to provide him PM like security to him.

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Aysha Nov 11, 2015 04:46pm

Dont Please, We would prefer Actors from west and hollywood. It would be much appreciated if you could invite for example Morgan Freeman, Keanu Reeves, Bruce Willis, Charlize Theron,, Johnny Depp , Al Pacino,, Russell Crowe, Brad Pitt,, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise ,Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone,, Benedict , Daniel Day-Lewis , Ian McKellen , Patrick Stewart, Ralph Fiennes, Christian Bale,, Tom Hiddleston ,,Idris Elba ,Chiwetel Ejiofor,Emma Watson,Daniel Craig,Tom Hardy

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Another fan Nov 11, 2015 05:14pm

Awesome! Love Fawad, love Shahrukh

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Kiran Nov 11, 2015 05:14pm

Already shahrukh khan in trouble for supporting Pak artists.

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Ayesha Khan Nov 11, 2015 05:35pm

I wish he could speak pushto :/

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shiv poojan dwivedi Nov 11, 2015 05:57pm

Well done Fawad! Good to see purushpur(Peshawar) love you brother

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HasanKhan Nov 11, 2015 05:58pm

Proud to be a Pukhtoon. We are the best. I am happy that Fawad identify everywhere with his ethnicity first.

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M.Saeed Nov 11, 2015 07:15pm

Peshawar, a peaceful city? One wishes it to be. Otherwise, once there was a wonderful weekly train service to Tokham/Landikotal passing through Khyber-Pass and in a total journey of 36 miles from Peshawar, the train used to pass through 34 magnificent tunnels, all in the Khyber-Pass.

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Muhammad Saeed Khan Nov 11, 2015 07:23pm

Although, Overall KPK and Peshawar is not developed as other major cities but it is a wonderful land which give to world incredible leaders in different areas - Incredible world class players, TV & Film Actors etc. I am proud to be from KPK.

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LTPeace Nov 11, 2015 08:00pm

@Ayesha Khan Unfortunately religional languages and culture (Pushto, Sindhi, Punjabi, Kahmiri etc) are being slowly replaced by Urdu in Pakistan. Hopefully these languages will also get the same attention in due course.

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Nisar Nov 11, 2015 08:10pm

There are no security issues anymore, so glad a potential visit may happen.

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reality bites Nov 11, 2015 09:30pm

Nice comment from Fawad. Fawad looks so fragile. He needs a little building up the upper body .

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Gurpreet Singh Sabharwal (USA) Nov 11, 2015 11:12pm

Shahrukh Khan's hometown is Delhi where he was born & grew up. Peshawar would be his ancestral home which existed in undivided India.

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Sasa Nov 11, 2015 11:21pm

Did you know Tagore's Kabuliwala was from Peshewar not Afghanistan. Movie Giants Khan , and Kapoors are also from Peshewar. What a place!

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Swabiwal Nov 11, 2015 11:37pm

HAR KALA RASHA (welcome anytime)…..Yousuf Khan (Dilip Kumar) got stuck on university road due to big crowed in 1989? while trying to visit his ancestral home…..better pre-plan the SRK visit, just a thought!!

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GAWAL MANDI YA Nov 11, 2015 11:41pm

Don't put SRK in a bad spot,I know your intentions are good but some people in India are already giving him a hard time.

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kashif Nov 11, 2015 11:55pm

Peshawar is also home city of Raj kopoor,madhubala,Shami kopoor,anu kapoor,sagar sarhadi,shashi kapoor,prithvi raj kopoor & several others.

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Masood Nov 12, 2015 01:28am

This guy is just being a good guest and inviting his host to visit his ancestral home. This is how friendship evolves. Other Indians, actor or regular person, are very welcome to visit Peshawar, or Lahore or Karachi. We are more hospitable than the Bombay folks, who left a visiting Pakistani family on the streets.

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Lumboobhai Nov 12, 2015 02:14am

I am sure SRK must have seen this photograph of his ancestral home in Peshawar.A true pathan never forgets his roots.

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kp Nov 12, 2015 02:22am

How can a city you have never been to, be your home town?

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Khalid iqbal Nov 12, 2015 06:57am

Sir syed was a Pathan ,,born in Meerut ,served the cause of Urdu ,like so many other Pathans.

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salman khan Nov 12, 2015 09:43am

who said peshawar is not beautiful?...its one of the most beautiful and historical city in our country and now in pti's government its awesome

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Lahore Nov 12, 2015 10:34am

Shah Rukh Khan looks stunning! Shah Rukh Khan is much older than Fawad but looks way better than him.

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Rashid Nov 12, 2015 11:04am

For centuries the valley of Peshawar area is hindko speaking area not pushto and all those Indians actors belong from Peshawar are hindko speakers.

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Aa2544 Nov 13, 2015 11:57am

@Rashid And the same hindko is vanishing fast, that is why I am pushing my kids to speak hindko despite being in London. Though it's a difficult but so far my daughter is speaking with s very nice accent. It's a pity our local languages are disappearing so fast and we even don't realie it, forget about admiting and doing something about them

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Sultan Durrani Nov 14, 2015 08:32am

Good of you working for a noble cause like SKMH. God always reward such people who selflessly work for the benefit of poor & helpless. wish you the best.

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