15 unforgettable portraits from the 'Humans of New York' photographer's trip to Pakistan
“Education changed the lives of my entire family. Before education, we knew only how to work. It was always very quiet in our home. My grandfather was a laborer, but he paid to send my father to a tutor so that he could learn to read. He told my father that, if nothing else, he should begin by learning how to read and write his name. When I was born, my father taught me how to read. I started with local newspapers. I learned that our village was part of a country. Then I moved on to books. And I learned that there was an entire world around this mountain. I learned about human rights. Now I’m studying political science at the local university. I want to be a teacher.”
“The most important thing about swimming is to not be afraid.” “What advice do you have for people who are afraid?” “Just don’t be afraid. Or you’ll drown.”
(Hunza Valley, Pakistan)
“I’m studying overseas at a small college in Minnesota. I’m just home for the summer. There’s definitely more outward freedom in the states to wear what I want and do what I want. But I never feel completely at ease because there are only three Pakistanis at my school, and I feel that everything I do reflects on my family, my religion, and my country. I feel pressured to always be exceedingly polite and well behaved, even when I don’t feel like it. But in Pakistan I can relax more, even though the electricity sometimes goes out and I’ve already been mugged twice since I’ve been back. Because here I feel like my actions only reflect on me.”
(Hunza Valley, Pakistan)
“What’s your goat’s name?” “Goat.”
(Hunza Valley, Pakistan)
“There were no paved roads here when I was a boy. We had to walk for 3 days to get to places that only take 2 hours now. There was never any money for school. We had no wealth or property. Beginning at six years old, I cleaned dishes at a restaurant until 9 pm. Then I would go to sleep and start again. All my money went to my parents. I’d hear stories about cities and airplanes, but they seemed like fairy tales. I’d dream of visiting these places, but before I could get too far, I’d be hungry again. So I grew up thinking that the entire world was like our valley. I thought all children lived like me. Then one day when I turned 16, I had the opportunity to visit to the city of Gilgit. I couldn’t believe it. I saw a boy eating at a restaurant with his father. He was my age. He was wearing a school uniform. I broke down in tears.”
(Hunza Valley, Pakistan)
“What’s your favorite thing about your sister?” “Her happiness.”
(Hunza Valley, Pakistan)
“When I was working on my doctorate, I discovered on the last day that my thesis was ten pages short, and he left his own office to run whatever errands I needed. He didn’t even have a car. He took a rickshaw. I had a dream when I was deciding whether or not to marry him. I was falling through the air, but I didn’t feel any fear, because I knew that he would catch me.”
(Hunza Valley, Pakistan)
“I want to be a chef.” “What’s the best part about being a chef?” “You can make your own dessert.”
(Hunza Valley, Pakistan)
“When I’m bored, I call up Radio Pakistan and request a song, then I start dancing. I’ll even dance on a rainy day. It’s my way of expressing how grateful I am. I am the happiest man in Pakistan.”
(Passu, Pakistan)
“Last month I had an accident that destroyed my tractor, and now my life has been ruined. I’d saved for that tractor for three years. When I finally bought it, I was so happy. Things seemed to finally be moving forward. I was working crops and making money. Now it’s destroyed, but I still owe $5000. I only make $120 a month, and most of that goes toward renting this new tractor. I’m still very injured from the accident. I should be in bed but I couldn’t take any more days off. I didn’t used to look like this. I used to care about my appearance and wear proper clothes. I used to eat proper meals. But I can’t afford any of that now. I have nothing left to sacrifice.”
(Passu, Pakistan)
“I was born paralyzed from the waist down. But this community is so tolerant that I never had to worry about fitting in. I only had to focus on improving myself. Everyone treated me as normal. I got everything my older brother got, including punishment. I never once escaped a spanking. I dove off cliffs. I swam. I played cricket and badminton. I climbed trees. The only thing my family told me not to do was play music, because they thought it would distract me from my studies. But eventually I got so good, they couldn’t even tell me to stop that.”
(Hunza Valley, Pakistan)
“When I was ten years old, I had a bad disease that caused me to lose consciousness and when I woke up, I was blind. I screamed: ‘Mom, I can’t see anymore!’ And we both started crying. It’s been a very hard life for me. Nobody would give his daughter to a blind man. If I dwelled on how lonely I am, I’d have died a long time ago. My only friend is the radio.”
(Karachi, Pakistan)
“I want to be a police officer.” “What will be the best part about being a police officer?” “The power.”
(Babusar Top, Pakistan)
“We lost their mother to a heart attack recently. And their father is overseas trying to find a job. So I’m currently Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, and Dad. Luckily I have five children and eighteen grandchildren, so I’m very experienced. There’s actually one more child at home—he’s eight years old. And none of them can fall asleep unless they are lying next to me. So I have to put the oldest one to sleep first. Then I get up quietly, and lie down between the other two. The only problem is sometimes they fall asleep on top of me.”
(Passu, Pakistan)
“What are you doing?” “Nothing.”
(Karachi, Pakistan)
Popular Right Now
Advertisement