New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani Goes Viral Wearing Famous Verses of Legendary Pakistani Poet

Newly elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has gone viral online after being photographed wearing a black sweater adorned with lines from the legendary Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s timeless poem “Mujh Se Pehli Si Mohabbat,” written in Urdu.

In the widely shared image, Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji are spotted meeting Hollywood actress Cynthia Nixon from the hit show “Sex in the City”. The photo quickly spread across social media, with many in Pakistan and abroad praising Mamdani for his appreciation of Pakistan’s greatest poet.

Mamdani, who made history as New York City’s first Muslim mayor, has often expressed his admiration for Faiz’s poetry. During his campaign, a video of him reciting Faiz’s revolutionary poem “Bol, ke lab azaad hain tere” gained widespread attention. In that speech, he said he reads Faiz regularly to stay inspired during challenging times, describing the poet’s words as a reminder of resilience and justice.

In a recent move, Mamdani also appointed Pakistani-American legal scholar Lina Maliha Khan as co-chair of his transition team.