PASHTUN TEA VENDOR BECOMES INTERNET SENSATION|網路意外爆紅 巴茶水攤"貓眼"男:只想單純過活

A handsome but poor Pakistani tea merchant with striking blue-green eyes, saw his life changed recently when his portrait raced around the Internet, sparking ardent debates on class contempt, objectification, and the place of ethnic Pashtuns in society. Some newspapers described it as a "Cinderella story", and the 18-year-old says he is bewildered by worldwide reaction. An 18-year-old tea vendor who became an overnight sensation in Pakistan after his photo went viral on the Internet says he has no plans for an acting career, though he is flattered by the attention. Arshad Khan became an Internet sensation recently when a photographer's Instagram shot of him working at his tea stall was shared tens of thousands of times, with many swooning over his good looks. ==ARSHAD KHAN, Pakistani Tea Vendor== Since the morning, boys and girls are coming and showing me the picture and making videos of me. Many people are coming here today. He said he was happy but baffled by the attention. ==ARSHAD KHAN, Pakistani Tea Vendor== Today I was very happy, but I did not know how this happened, or who took the picture, or how it went so far. So I got quite worried. I was very upset because I could not make out what was happening. ==SAEED AHMED, Vegetable Seller == His eyes were so beautiful that we used to make fun of him and call him 'cat eyes'. But we never even thought that he would one day become famous like this. The 18-year-old used to work as a fruit seller at the same Sunday market but started working at the tea stall three months ago. Khan is an ethnic Pashtun, a people living mostly in Pakistan and Afghanistan who sometimes have light skin and eyes. Local news outlets have reported offers of modeling contracts and even a possible film career for Khan, but he says he's only interested in "honorable" work. ==ARSHAD KHAN, Pakistani Tea Vendor== I have not thought about acting in movies, because it has not been done by anyone in our family. If I can find some clean, honorable work, I will certainly do it. I have not thought about working in films and dramas. We have never done it, and will not do so in the future. As a matter of fact, Khan had no idea he had set the Internet alight from Pakistan to India and beyond: he has no phone, and cannot read. The third of 17 children, Khan has never been to school. He said he hoped his newfound fame would allow him to "move forward". TRANSLATED BY：JESSICA OY