In October, family and friends will gather at Pugney’s Park in Wakefield for a walk, raising money to build water wells in Pakistan. It is not just a charity event – it is a way of carrying forward the spirit of Farhan, a young man whose generosity and brightness continue to inspire even after his sudden passing earlier this year.
Farhan’s family say the project reflects everything he stood for. “Farhan was all about charity and had a direct debit set up for Sadqa. I know if I had gone before him, he would have done the same for me,” his mother Naheed Akhtar explains.
“We want his daughter, Zyra, to grow up proud of her father.”
A life of energy, curiosity and kindness
For those who knew him, Farhan’s kindness and warmth are what shine brightest. He cared deeply about children, elders, and even animals – once pleading with his mother to buy him a monkey!
He loved cats, dogs, and had the rare gift of making everyone he spoke to feel special. His laughter filled rooms, his energy made gatherings come alive, and his loyalty made him a steadfast friend. But Farhan’s intelligence and ambition were just as striking. Cars, travel, and above all, trading were his passions.
At just 16, he was on the Mayfair trading floor with Astro FX, a moment his family still recall with pride. He studied law at Aston University and later in Leeds, but chose to leave academia behind to focus on trading.
In the year before his passing, he travelled to Dubai three times, as well as Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey and across Europe. He dreamed of one day moving to Dubai permanently, drawn to its fast pace and global opportunities.
Friends describe him as daring, funny and endlessly encouraging. He taught many of them trading, urging them to do better.
As a child he had been adventurous too, trying to sneak onto rollercoasters at Thorpe Park by standing on tiptoes to meet the height requirements.
His family smile at the memory of a toddler who once kissed his reflection in a mirror and called it “bhai” (brother) thinking it was his twin brother.
Loss, love and legacy
On the 22nd of May, Farhan went to bed and never woke up. He was just 20.
His wife, whom he had married only five months earlier, was expecting their first child. In August she gave birth to a daughter, Zyra, who will grow up surrounded by stories of her father’s kindness and ambition. The cause of his death remains unexplained; an inquest is ongoing.
For his family, the grief has been unbearable.
Naheed recalls collapsing repeatedly on the day he died, and feeling in the days that followed that she wanted to join him.
What steadies her now is her faith, daily prayers, and the belief that this separation is temporary. She visits his grave almost every day, speaking to him as though he were still present.
Farhan’s friends have also kept his memory alive. They travelled from London and beyond for his funeral, hiring his favourite cars, printing T-shirts in his name, and gathering regularly to share stories.
His favourite rapper, Rekky, attended both the funeral and a memorial held at Burnham Grammar School, offering to support any future charitable projects in Farhan’s honour.
Through it all, what endures is the sense that Farhan belonged to many people – family, friends, colleagues – across cultures and backgrounds. His funeral drew a truly diverse crowd, a reflection of the bridges he built in his short life.
The charity projects now underway are not only acts of remembrance but also extensions of his generosity. Clean water wells in Pakistan will change lives for families who currently have no easy access. In every drop, his family see his legacy continuing.
“My hope,” his mother says, “comes from knowing Insha’Allah I will meet my son again.
“Until then, the charity projects and the memories will keep me going. Farhan would be overwhelmed, humbled, and grateful to know this is being done in his name.”
Kindly donate in Farhan’s memory, click here: https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/sadqah_jriyah_for_farhan_khan__solarpowered_clean_water_project
