February 18, 2008	Monday	Safar 10, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Feb 17: Elections may be of low interest for the people for several reasons with fear above all, but it definitely is of great importance for the rest of the world as reflected in an army of foreign journalists who have descended in Pakistan to make the electoral race an unavoidable spectacle.

During the last one week or so, as many as 700 journalists, mostly Britons, Americans, Canadians, and from East Asia and Europe have landed in Pakistan and there are more on their way.

Hotels like Serena and the Marriott to mention a few and all the guest houses are stuffed with male and female journalists armed with satellite equipment, laptops, cameras, etc. during one of the biggest media reunions in the country’s history.

Like the hotels and guest houses, business is also good for rent-a-car service providers.

“I have a fleet of eight latest model Corollas and Hondas and all have been booked with teams of British and Spanish journalists,” said Shahid Malik whose clients are usually executives from oil or tobacco companies.

With a messenger bag containing a digital recorder and mike and a notebook slung over his shoulder, every morning around 10 Domenec Subira of the Spanish Catalunya Radio heads out to record interviews with the politicians, analysts or human rights activists.

It was crazily hard work, he said, adding that the time difference was his biggest “enemy”. He has to stay up as late as 3am to file his stories for the listeners in Spain. It has been his routine since he got here a week ago.