Yasir Mehmood wins photo-competition celebrating UK-Pakistan 70 years ties

ISLAMABAD - Yasir Mehmood has won the British High Commission Islamabad’s photography competition launched to celebrate 70 years of UK-Pakistan ties.

The competition was launched in February, and over 400 high-quality entries from a mix of amateur, semi-professional and professional photographers in both Pakistan and the UK took part, said a press release issued on Friday.

Mehmood will receive a prize of photography equipment for his winning entry – “Let’s celebrate 70 years of relationship”.

The panel of judges included Country Director of the British Council in Pakistan, Rosemary Hilhorst, senior photographer and Assistant Controller Creative (IT) in Pakistan Television, Azhar Hafeez and photojournalist, Sara Farid.

British High Commissioner, Thomas Drew CMG, said that “He would like to thank everyone for sending in their pictures. The standard was very high. It was difficult to decide which photograph best captured our theme of ‘Shared History and Shared Future.’ To celebrate 70 years of bilateral relations, we will hold further events and exciting competitions throughout the year."

The winner of the photography competition Yasir Mehmood said that he was thrilled to win the British High Commission’s 70th Anniversary photography competition. He added that he had tried to capture the young students who are the future of Pakistan and who also benefit from the UK’s support for our education system. He is also excited that this photograph will be widely used to celebrate 70 years of relations between the UK and Pakistan.

The winning photograph will be displayed at next week’s Queen’s Birthday Party (QBP) events in Pakistan, and later at photography exhibitions in Pakistan and the UK. It will also be published in a special photography book to celebrate 70 years of relations between the UK and Pakistan.

The runner-up photograph, by Abid Mirza, will also be displayed at the QBP events and photography exhibitions in the UK and Pakistan. Other photographs submitted to the British High Commission will be used on social media pages.