Photojournalist Azhar Jafri remembered

LAHORE : Azhar Hussain Jafri, a photojournalist, whose career spanned over 43 years, was remembered and celebrated at a gathering of friends, family and peers at Aangun, Model Town on Friday.

Aangun has launched an exclusive series titled ‘Celebrating Pakistani Photographers’. The event was held in collaboration with Tasweerghar, Camera for People and The Little Art. The series is focused on bringing together a community and sharing works of proclaimed photographers from Pakistan.

His son showed photographs taken by him over a long span of time, on projector. There was a wide range of photographs—political rallies, riots, human rights activists, celebrities, political movements, migrants, all big events in the city. Prof Razi Haider rightly termed Azhar Jafri a historian, senior journalist Muhammad Akram recalled how the veteran photographer was passionate about improving the working conditions of photo journalists, while senior journalist Zaheer Anjum called him a typical Lahori.

Among these photographs was a remarkable picture of road side lamps reflecting sunset and a picture titled beauty and innocence—that of Diana and disfigured face of a child behind her.

Azhar would dive into the moment, not caring there was danger. Incidents his son narrated showed he was fearless.

Jafri joined daily Musawaat in 1972, then went on to work for The Muslim before joining Dawn in 1983. One of his most compelling images was that of Late Nusrat Bhutto, whom he captured, covered in blood, during a police baton-charge of PPP protesters in Gen Zia ul Haq’s time and activist Bushra Aitzaz protesting the Law of Evidence in Lahore (1983). His personal definition of a photograph was that it must be as unique as a fingerprint itself. Umair Ghani, host of the evening discussed the passion and dedication of Azhar Jafri for his work. The speakers including Aun Jafri, Azhar Jafri’s son and Mustafa Nazir Ahmad. He was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz by the Govt. of Pakistan. The event was also attended by professional and amateur photographers.