Mobeen Ansari is a photographer, filmmaker, and visual artist based in Islamabad, Pakistan. A graduate of the National College of Arts (BFA), he has built a distinctive practice centred on storytelling, capturing the spirit of Pakistan and its people through a poetic and deeply human lens.
As a photojournalist, his work focuses on human interest narratives, with an emphasis on global health, migration, and climate change. Through both photography and film, he presents a nuanced and diverse portrayal of Pakistan that challenges conventional narratives.
Ansari is the author of three photography books. His debut, ‘Dharkan’: The Heartbeat of a Nation, features portraits of iconic Pakistanis from all walks of life. This was followed by ‘White in the Flag’, a compelling exploration of the lives and festivities of religious minorities in Pakistan. Both titles have been published in multiple volumes. His third book, ‘Miraas’, continues his engagement with cultural identity and legacy, serving as a thematic sequel to Dharkan. He is currently working on a forthcoming publication featuring landscapes and street photography spanning seventeen years of his practice.
In film, Ansari has directed two silent short films: ‘Hellhole’, a black-and-white portrayal of a sanitation worker’s life, and ‘Lady of the Emerald Scarf’, which tells the story of Aziza, a carpet maker from Gulmit in northern Pakistan.
His work has been exhibited extensively in Pakistan and internationally, including in the UK, Italy, China, Iraq, the United States, and the UAE. His photographs have been showcased in prominent public spaces such as Times Square in New York City and Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore.
Ansari is the recipient of the Swedish Red Cross Journalism Prize for his photographic work on the football manufacturing industry in Sialkot during the FIFA World Cup. He is also a member of the Asia Society Fellowship.
