ISLAMABAD - A one-day photographic exhibition focusing on the plight of the depressed sectors of the Pakistani society was held here at Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) on Saturday.
Around 50 photographs taken by students of SZABIST’s Media & Communication Studies were put on display. The exhibition titled “Colours of Pakistan” also brought to light through lens of the camera some really colourful enchanting and stimulating insights of the society, such as scenic beauty, tourist destinations, archaeological sites and rich culture of all the provinces. Whereas on the flip side issues such as poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and loadshedding were also put on display. The photographic exhibition was a part of the students curriculum which required them to visit, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Hyderabad, Gilgit and Peshawar and came up with variety of eye-catching and emotionally and appealing photographs.
Visitors of the exhibition appreciated the creativity of all the student photographers but the centre of their attention become a photograph by Hina Latif a student of MCS.
The photograph showed a 40-year-old poverty-stricken woman Nasreen, a resident of Saidpur village, who sells bangles and is the sole bread earner of her family.
What seemed to have struck the guests most about this photograph was that the bangles she sold were all glittering but in a sharp contrast the woman’s own self seemed zestless and colourless and these expressions were clearly visible on her face. On the other hand, the photograph depicting hope and happiness also attracted the art lovers.
 In particular a photograph taken by Quratul Ain, a student of MCS, was the highlight of the exhibition as it had a special delusion of the sun either rising or setting. It was difficult for the onlookers to determine this despite constant eyeing.
Quratul Ain said, “The sun is actually setting but it also leaves hope that it will rise again the next day and I want to send this message across that after every darkness there is a shine and similarly there is a hope after despair.”
Director SZABIST Syed Asad Hussain said that SZABIST is actively working to harness the artistic skills of its students and in the near future will be acting into an agreement with Pakistan National Council of Arts  (PNCA), under which both the organisations will work to equip the young generation with skills of painting, photography, music, acting, theatre performance and other performing arts so they could promote Pakistan’s culture in and outside the country.
Director General PNCA Tauqeer Nasir was the chief guest on the occasion who while addressing on the occasion said that photography is an inborn talent and the photographer through his/her lens shows the people some things which they might not have been able to see otherwise.
He said that the way these students have captured different cultural norms, problems, ideologies and thoughts of a common man is undoubtedly admirable.