‘Anadolu deserves credit’: Pakistani consul general in Istanbul votes in ‘Images of the Year’ contest

By Gizem Nisa Demir

ISTANBUL (AA) - Khawaja Khurram Naeem, Pakistan’s consul general in Istanbul, on Friday took part in Anadolu’s annual “Images of the Year” voting, reviewing photographs that captured defining moments of 2025 through the Anadolu’s lens.

Naeem cast his votes during a visit to Anadolu’s Istanbul International News Center, where he was briefed on the process by Istanbul News Director Muhammed Enes Can.

Organized with sponsorship from Lifebox, AJet and Roketsan, the contest features photographs taken by Anadolu photojournalists and reporters reflecting events in Türkiye and around the world.

Reviewing 112 photographs in six categories, Naeem selected Ali Jadallah’s image in the “Gaza: Starvation” category, depicting Palestinians struggling to access food as crowds gather during a charity meal distribution.

In the “Portrait” category, he chose Mahmoud Abu Hamda’s photograph titled “Mother’s Precious One.”

His selections also included Muhammed Abdullah Kurtar’s “In Every Corner” in the “News” category, Agit Erdi Ulukaya’s “Tradition Begins in the Family” in “Sports,” Bestami Bodruk’s “Side by Side” in “Wildlife and Environment,” and Isa Terli’s “Full Moon Pleasure” in “Daily Life.”

Voting for the competition is being conducted worldwide with Turkish and English captions, allowing participants to vote for as many photographs as they wish.

Voting will continue until 5 pm local time (1400 GMT) on Sunday, Feb. 15, via the website yilinkareleri.aa.com.tr.

- ‘Anadolu deserves credit for raising voice of voiceless’

Speaking to Anadolu after the voting, Naeem praised the agency’s work and underscored the role of photography in conveying human suffering and resilience.

“I think your agency is doing a very good job,” he said. “Photographs are still the best medium of communication. And most of these photographs, they portray or communicate the voice of the voiceless. We have seen what genocide has been going on in Gaza.”

Referring to the images he reviewed, Naeem highlighted both the hardship endured by Palestinians and the hope reflected in some of the photographs.

“How Palestinians have been suffering. I have seen these pictures. They show their sufferings, and some of them also show the hope,” he said.

Despite despair and uncertainty, he added, Palestinians continue to seek peace and a better future for their children.

“Palestinian people still have, despite all this despair and the future, they are looking towards a war-free and peaceful solution where their kids can develop like normal human beings.”

Reiterating his appreciation for Anadolu, Naeem said visual storytelling plays a critical role in raising global awareness.

“As I said earlier, a photograph is worth a thousand words. So the communication of these helpless people in Gaza to the whole world, their plight, what they are suffering, I think Anadolu Agency deserves a lot of credit for that, for raising the voice of the voiceless.”