This film by Saad Bhatti and Adeel Qureshi won the second prize of Rs200,000 in the Dawn.com and Deutsche Welle video story contest, #ItHappensOnlyinPakistan on the theme #CreativeDistancing.

In this film, meet Ishaq Khan, one of the unsung heroes working in the background during these tough times of misery, hopelessness and pain.

Ishaq performs ghusl (funerary bath) of coronavirus victims before their final prayers and burial rites are performed, giving solace to the families of the deceased when they themselves can't come near the dead.


It Happens Only In Pakistan is a nationwide video story contest organised by Dawn.com and Deutsche Welle (DW), Germany's international broadcaster. Inspired by the stories of human generosity and perseverance that emerged during this pandemic, the special Lockdown Edition of the contest launched on the theme of #CreativeDistancing invited filmmakers to share positive stories of how they are creatively coping with the new reality while practicing physical distancing, or how those around them are turning these challenging times into those of opportunity and inspiration.

The contest accepted entries from June 22 and July 28, 2020.