Afia Masood (also Khan) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Meryl Fernandes.

Her father was later introduced as Yusef Khan (Ace Bhatti) who was the former husband of Tamwar's mother, Zainab (Nina Wadia).

It was announced in May 2012 that Fernandes had finished filming her final scenes and that Afia would leave EastEnders in June.

Afia is first seen attending Syed Masood (Marc Elliott) and Amira Shah's (Preeya Kalidas) Mehndi celebration.

Yusef starts a fire at the local bed and breakfast and dies in the blaze while leaving Tamwar badly disfigured.

Off-screen, Afia's mother dies and several months later, she contacts Tamwar; they meet again and start dating.

However, Afia helps Yusef escape and he starts a fire at the bed and breakfast where Masood is staying, hoping to kill him.

Believing Masood is trapped, Yusef gloats to Zainab and threatens her so she lies that Afia is also inside.

Afia grieves for her father and injured husband but Tamwar cannot comfort her and even refuses to see her while he is in hospital, angered that she kept Yusef's confession that he burnt Zainab from him.

He continues to ignore her when he comes home and is angered by Afia's plan to spend Yusef's money on plastic surgery to reduce his scars, telling her to leave if she does not like him as he is.

Afia and Tamwar sort out their differences and try to make a success of running the Masood family restaurant but long hours and Zainab's interference puts further strain on their marriage.

Tamwar heeds Zainab's advice and suggests to Afia that they start a family, believing she will settle once she has a child.

Meryl Fernandes was cast as Afia as a love interest for already established character Tamwar Masood.

[1] Due to Afia initially being a guest character, Fernandes' arrival and filming was not announced.

Upon hearing Fernandes return, Patel commented: "I'm glad that I'm able to explore another side to Tamwar's character.

Speaking to Digital Spy, Patel said that he was "very happy" to hear that Fernandes would be back on set, explaining: "We filmed together for about three or four weeks when she first came into the show, which was about this time last year.

"[1] It continues to read: "She knows what she wants and cunningly knows how to get it, which she proved by scoring the Square's local nerd Tamwar Masood.

[6] The Mirrors says that Tamwar finds it "hard to stand up to his wife at the best of times and with those brand new eyelash extensions shes able to flutter his feeble resistance to a pulp.

[10] In an interview with entertainment website Digital Spy, in response to Yusef tearing apart their relationship, Patel answered: "Every couple goes through problems.

[12] Talking to We Love Telly, Patel described the reactions of the Masoods when they find out that Afia and Tamwar married in secret, suggesting they would respond "With absolute fury!

"[14] Asked how Zainab is feeling as Tamwar and Afia's engagement party approaches, Wadia replied: "She's very conflicted.

The Mirror revealed that Afia will stand by Tamwar but the injuries put pressure on their marriage.

[18] An EastEnders spokesperson stated "Since the traumatic events of the fire, things have not been the same in Tamwar and Afia's relationship.

"[18] Patel admitted that he found filming Afia's exit plot challenging and added that he wishes Fernandes was not leaving the show.

[23] The Mirror states that Afia and Tamwar's wedding is "the kind of sensationally explosive event we have come to expect in Soapland.