Revealing the Humanity of Pakistan

One of the most inspiring places on the Internet is “Humans of New York” (HONY), a blog started in 2010 by Brandon Stanton that features photos of every day New Yorkers with short snippets of their life – a view I share with almost 15 million other people who ‘like’ HONY’s Facebook page.The photographs and stories are charming; some make us cry, some make us smile, all make us pause – for a moment, from our every day life, to connect with a stranger, whose sorrows we want to comfort, whose joys make us feel good.

In a virtual space too often full of vitriol and emptiness, HONY has formed a community out of worldwide strangers all aching for a good story, for a sense of connection, for a moment of reprieve – and for that vital reminder that we are not alone.

I too believe in the power of personal stories to bring us closer together; this blog and my personal essays and features is a small effort in that direction, particularly in trying to promote understanding of my faith and the country of my birth.So when HONY announced that it was going to Pakistan, I was thrilled. The stories this week have shown ordinary Pakistanis, against extraordinary backdrops, living, struggling, dreaming, surviving, thriving. I’ve been cheering on each post, and can hardly contain my smile as the beauty of Pakistan and the resilience, strength and grace of its people is shared with the world.  Read full article