BBC - Asian Network - Silver Street The Residents

Pervaiz Akhtar
Played by Shajait Khan

DOB: 8th June 1953
FAMILY : Wife: Khatija; Children: Nadia and Zakir (Zak).
LIVES: In a terraced house by the park, backing onto the canal when they are not in Mirpur
WORK: Pervaiz used to work as a concierge at the canalside apartment block
CHARACTER: Pervaiz has spent much of his life in England on benefits. He feels redundant in his role as a father and husband, and was embarrassed to see how hard his wife Khatija worked. He was pleased to be back in full-time work at last but is happiest in Mirpur although he misses his children
STAR SIGN : Gemini

Pervaiz

"Things have never been the same since my accident. It's not right - I should have been the one providing for the family, and instead I had to watch my own wife and daughter working all hours just to keep us afloat. And Zak had to give up college to work on a building site, so I might have wrecked his future for him. It was so, well, embarrassing. I hated to see how hard Khatija worked, sewing away for all those women who don't know how lucky they are, it was better when she had the job at the newsagents. I hated living off benefits, I couldn't even understand how to fill in all those forms. Not even capable of claiming my own allowance, let alone working! I was so grateful to be working again. I know it wasn't much of a job but I almost started to feel like the man of the house again, not easy with Khatija around!......

"The kids have had to grow up so fast, Nadia leaving school to work at the salon and then her own business! It's hard to believe. Zak's had to as well so I'm glad he was able to go back to college. I didn't like to think of him throwing his future away working on a building site. I'm so proud of the way he's matured, taking his religion so seriously now. He's a credit to us both. When he phoned us to say he was getting married we were shocked but we were so looking forward to meeting Fatima, Zak told us so much about her and she sounded such a wonderful person. I can't believe that she has been taken from us so tragically and I don't know how Zak will ever get over it.

"And Nadia is a cause of worry for us still as well. We arranged a perfect Rishta for her, a dentist, and from a good family. Arshad would have made her a good husband but instead she was carrying on behind our backs with Sway. She's brought shame on us and that's hard to forgive, but she's still my little girl..."