Pakistani envoy votes in Anadolu Agency photo contest

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - Pakistani Ambassador to Turkey Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi on Monday voted in the ongoing contest of Anadolu Agency's Photos of the Year, applauding the "high professionalism of the journalists."

At a brief event at Pakistani Embassy in the capital Ankara, Qazi said: "I have voted once again on the very high quality and very topical and appropriate photos that have been put up on the panel this year."

It is second time Qazi participated in the high-profile international photo contest held by Anadolu Agency.

"In the life category, I could not help but vote for the picture in which a father tosses up his amputee son," he said. "In the sports category, I voted for the photo [showing] sports activities on Gaza beach… human spirit will never be vanquished in whatever circumstances and it shows that people of Gaza despite all the restrictions imposed on them have not lost their spirit and look forward for a bright future… There is nothing that brings people closer than sports."

While voting in the news category, Qazi expressed his anguish over the deteriorating human rights situation in the Indian-administered Kashmir. "Unfortunately and with a heavy heart, I had to vote for a touching photo showing two ladies from Kashmir consoling each other after having lost their loved ones," he said. "I hope their agony ends some day and this photograph and my vote for it, in a small way, would contribute to ameliorate the very serious situation under which they are living.

Commending the work done by Anadolu Agency and other international photojournalists who are participating the contest, the Pakistani ambassador said: "The photos are tremendously professional and very well-done photographs."

"We look forward towards next year's contest," he added.

- Anadolu Agency's high profile international photo contest

Anadolu Agency, Turkey's premier news outlet, held its first Photos of the Year contest in 2012. This year, 76 images were selected from more than 750,000 photos from various parts of the world, including Syria, Palestine, Russia, China, and Azerbaijan.

Photos will be selected in three categories -- news, life, and sport -- from works of Anadolu Agency photojournalists or correspondents who have had an impact on the Turkish and world agendas.

Among the photographs, which include the shots determined by AA photo editors, there are photographs that are frequently used in leading media organs of the world media.

The images were put to a vote in the news category with 31 entries, life with 30 entries, and sports with 15 entries.

Categories are also available with Turkish and English captions.

Health care workers who are fighting with COVID-19 in the front of the line were the first group of people that took part in this year's voting.

Also, many people from different professions, students, athletes, and politicians have already chosen their favorite photos so far in Turkey.

Last year, nearly 280,000 people took part in the voting.

This year's voting will continue through Dec. 31 at Anadolu Agency's website at aa.com.tr/photooftheyear​​​​​​​.