A photographic exhibition titled “Beautiful Pakistan, Amazing Qatar” on Thursday evening pulled a good number of visitors at Green Academy in the basement of Ezdan Mall. The visitors were seen taking keen interests in the photographs highlighting different aspects of the two countries.
The exhibition, organised by Pakistan Professionals Forums-Qatar (PPF-Q), showcases 67 photographs, taken primarily by Mobeen Ansari from Pakistan and Haya al-Thani from Qatar. The photographs at the exhibition highlight the landscapes, peoples and history of the two countries.
The photographs by Mobeen Ansari, a young man with hearing challenges, show portraits of prominent personalities of Pakistan and the natural beauty of the country’s northern areas.
The work of Haya al-Thani, an aspiring artist with passion for photography, highlights the beautiful landscapes, the modern development and natural beauty of Qatar. One of her photographs showing skyscrapers shrouded in mist was the centre of attention for many people.
Talking to the audience at the opening ceremony, Ansari said that it was his maiden visit to Qatar and he was thankful to the PPF-Q for providing him the opportunity to showcase his work.
Sharing how he developed a taste for photography, Ansari said, “I lost my hearing when I was only three-year-old. My mother really helped me. People used to tell her that I would never be able to speak and I should be taught sign language. She however taught me how to speak and encouraged me to make the challenge not my weakness, but my strength. The challenge became a blessing in disguise for me. I can now stop hearing to anyone I do not want to talk to.”
He laughed and added: “I sleep very peacefully at night.”
He said, “My grandmother was a photographer. One of her photos inspired me very much – it is a photo of her taken in front of a mirror in 1946. I always call it the first selfie of the sub-continent. My mother migrated from India and she had good photos of her arrival at Karachi port also. Her work inspired me to become a photographer.”
Ansari added, “I am not a qualified photographer. I have studied painting. However photography has allowed me to be a better painter and painting has allowed me to be a better photographer. Painting has helped me to see beauty in the ugliest of things. Initially I was an introvert – shy as my hearing aid was very big. With the passage of time, however, I broke my shell and started meeting people around me.”
“I was doing my O Levels when I got my first digital camera. I started shooting every event at my school. I became a golden boy at my school. One day I saw that one of my school fellows had a fight with another boy. After losing, he came to the school’s basketball court and started crying. I was there. I debated whether to take his photo or not. But I did. This made me stop taking portrait photos and I instead started focusing on raw human emotions,” Ansari shared with the audience.
Later he explained the ideas behind some of his best photographs, how he took them and what their background was. During the question and answer session, he said that right time, right subject, and a good camera has made him a better photographer.
Talking to Community, Haya al-Thani said, “I have always had a passion for photography. I started it more formally around 2005. I took it up for the love of it, but then I started getting amazing feedback. I realised that I am doing something special if I am getting so much recognition from people. I realised I was decent at it, and that gave me the desire to learn more. The more photos I took, the more I learnt.”
Asked if she had taken part in other exhibitions, she said, “Yeah, I participated with Qatar Museum and in a bunch of other competitions like iPhone photography and professional photography. It has been a great [experience].”
When asked for her comment on the ongoing exhibition, she said, “I am absolutely honoured. When they first approached me I could not believe it. And to just be here and be a part of it is a great honour for me. It is absolutely beautiful (photography from Pakistan). The photographer, Mobeen Ansari, is incredible and I am really honoured to be just sharing this [platform] with him. And it just makes me feel very special and recognised.”
PPF-Q General Secretary Sana Salman said, “The PPF-Q has its members from all walks of life in Qatar. The idea of having the exhibition was to highlight Pakistan’s 70th birth anniversary and the Pakistani expatriate community wanted to convey their gratitude to Qatar for being such a hospitable country. Qatar is a place where everyone feels at home. Besides paying tributes to both countries, the idea was to promote bilateral tourism and trade as well.” 
PPF-Q Chairman Syed Mohsin Mujtaba Rizvi said that Ansari is a talented photographer and has written two books as well.
The chairman noted that the idea behind the exhibition to convey that despite its challenges and problems, Pakistan has been making progress and moving forward. Similarly, Qatar recently faced a challenge but has refused to give in. He said that Qatar has shown its resolve and that the blockade had not affected the country. He said that the forum therefore decided to highlight the beautiful sides of both countries.
He noted that the exhibition, keeping in mind the response, would continue till December 18, Qatar’s National Day. He added that the idea of having the exhibition at a public place was to make it easier for people to attend.