LONDON – A sharp legal and branding dispute has surfaced between Pakistani internet sensation Arshad Khan, widely known as the “blue-eyed Chaiwala,” and his UK-based business partner, Nadir Durrani, casting doubt on the future of the Café Chaiwala brand in Britain.
centersThe conflict centres on intellectual property rights, unpaid royalties, and competing claims over who is responsible for the brand’s UK presence.
The disagreement became public when Khan claimed his partners had terminated his contract and ceased royalty payments. In response, Nadir Durrani, who holds the master franchise rights for the UK, confirmed the split but argued the UK operation was a “self-built enterprise” that received no support from the original brand.
Arshad Khan first rose to fame in 2016 after a photograph of him serving tea at an Islamabad stall went viral. He leveraged that fame to open his own café in 2020. In 2021, UK master franchise rights were granted to Nadir Durrani and Yawar Akbar Durrani, leading to the opening of two London locations.
Arshad Khan’s Allegations
Khan alleges that despite the UK cafés operating successfully, he has not received royalty payments for over ten months.
name,”They sent me a termination notice and stopped my payments,” Khan stated. “But they are still running the business under my brand name ‘Café Chaiwala’—only removing ‘Arshad Khan’ from the branding. This is my name, my identity, and my hard work. I just want justice.”
Khan confirmed he has hired solicitors in the UK to pursue legal action and intends to travel to London now that his Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) has been unblocked, resolving a previous travel restriction.
The UK Partner’s Rebuttal
Nadir Durrani presented a contrasting account, confirming the partnership had ended “amicably” and that the UK business would soon rebrand.
He contended that what was initially a franchise agreement turned into an independent venture, as his team received “no operational, material, or marketing support” and had to design everything from the logo to the recipes themselves.
“Everything that defines our cafés—the visuals, menu, and feel—was created here, not imported,” Durrani said. “We received no support from Arshad Khan’s team. He couldn’t come to the UK over his Afghan nationality matter. Every promise his team made turned out to be false.”
favorable judgment.Durrani further revealed that his company had successfully sued the official franchisor, Kazim Hasan, in a Pakistani court, obtaining a favourable judgement.
Franchisor’s Statement
stating, “TheWhen contacted, Kazim Hasan, the franchisor who signed the original agreement, maintained his position, stating: “The brand and its ownership remain solely under our franchise rights.”
With legal actions underway and both parties firm in their positions, the future of the Café Chaiwala brand in the UK remains uncertain.
