Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (right) and Afghani singer Abdul Salam Maftoon Photos / AP
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (right) and Afghani singer Abdul Salam Maftoon Photos / AP
An Afghan wedding singer who shares an uncanny resemblance to the Canadian Prime Minister hopes his new-found role as Justin Trudeau's double will propel him to fame.
Abdul Salam Maftoon had never heard of Canada's 23th prime minister until he entered an Afghan television talent show and judges remarked onthe likeness.
The 29-year-old from the remote north eastern province of Badakhshan has since powered through early heats of the Afghan equivalent of X-Factor.
He now hopes that his similarity to the young politician considered a heart-throb will help him to win the contest and may even see him meet his double.
"People have forgotten my name and now they just call me 'Justin Trudeau'," Maftoon told AFP.
"I didn't know anything about Justin Trudeau until I saw the photos on social media."
Muftoon has reached the final eight of the knock-out singing talent show, buoyed by his looks as well as his repertoire of romantic folk songs. He has two months until the contest reaches its finale.
"He looks like my prime minister," said Afghan-born Canadian musician Qais Ulfat, one of the four judges who first pointed out Maftoon's resemblance to Trudeau.
"His voice is very satisfying. He has that god-gifted vocal ability.
"This guy could be the next Justin Bieber."
The likeness is considered so striking by some that Maftoon has been called Trudeau's lost twin.
One is a wedding singer and the other is a prime minister.
A win in one of the country's most popular television programmes would boost his singing career, he hopes and better provide for his wife and four children.
"When I go back to my hometown people will definitely call me," Maftoon said.
He also hopes that one day he will meet Trudeau.
"I want to meet him if he wants to because he is a global personality and I am a poor man from a remote part of Afghanistan," he said.
