I never really considered myself a portrait photographer.
As someone deeply in love with landscapes and travel, I always found myself drawn to vast valleys, misty mornings, winding roads, and sunlit peaks. My camera, for years, was focused outward—chasing the dramatic light of the mountains or the quiet calm of a forgotten village. People, although always present in my travels, were often just a part of the background… until they weren’t.
It began subtly. During my trips—whether it was a chai wala in Balochistan, a shepherd in the Kaghan Valley, a fisherman near the Arabian Sea, or an old man telling tales in a forgotten corner of Sindh—I’d lift my camera and click. Just one frame. No planned shoot. No setup. No lighting gear. Just a moment of connection and a shared smile. A portrait born out of trust, curiosity, and sometimes pure serendipity.
What surprised me over the years was how often these portraits resonated with others. On social media, in exhibitions, in conversations—these faces stirred emotions, told stories, and reminded people of a Pakistan that rarely makes the headlines. People would comment:
“This face tells a thousand stories.”
“There’s so much soul in their eyes.”
“You should publish these someday.”
I never took that suggestion seriously.
Until one day, while organizing my archives, I realized I had unintentionally documented hundreds of such faces. Men, women, and children. Traders, nomads, artists, farmers, students, wanderers. Each photo held a moment I could remember clearly—what was said before the click, what we laughed about, or the silence we shared.
That’s when the idea truly struck me. Why not compile them? Not just as a collection of photographs, but as a tribute. A tribute to the incredible people who make up the soul of Pakistan.
And so, Faces of Pakistan was born.
With the help of Amazon KDP, I self-published the book in May 2023. It was a new and vulnerable step for me. As someone who’s spent over a decade telling stories through travel and photography, putting together a book felt more permanent—something that would sit on someone’s shelf, not just disappear in a scroll.
But the response blew me away.
From Pakistanis living abroad who felt a deep emotional connection to the people in these pages, to young artists and photographers who found inspiration in the raw simplicity of the portraits—Faces of Pakistan has found its way into the hearts of many.
This book is more than a personal project.
It’s my first photo book.
It’s my tribute to the real heroes of this land—the everyday people whose faces reflect resilience, warmth, tradition, and change.
It’s a love letter to Pakistan, written not in words, but through the eyes and expressions of its people.
If you’d like to get a copy:
📖 Paperback version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47LHTKJ
📘 Hardcover version: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47R3N65
Thank you for supporting this journey. And thank you to every person who allowed me to capture their portrait—you are the soul of this book.