South Asia, home to more than one billion people, is focus of the international attention for a variety of reasons including its geopolitical importance.
Pakistan and India are also two major atomic powers of the region. The world powers have their interests in this region and South Asia has become an important region for the world.
To cover events and developments in one of the most important regions in the world, South Asian News Agency (SANA) was set-up on January 26, 2001 as an independent news agency. SANA replaced the Kashmir Press
International (KPI) established in December 1989 as Pakistan’s first Urdu language news service. Despite meager resources and daunting challenges, SANA has established a special position in Pakistan’s media, as the most respected news agency with firm and constructive views without compromising on quality and accuracy. In the beginning of 2002, the agency started photo service and developed its own website in English and Urdu updated daily. Owing to its popularity, more than 250 national and a few international newspapers, TV channels, radio’s and websites hired its services. Besides the state run TV Pakistan Television PTV, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation PBC and some international newspapers and broadcast organizations hired SANA services publishing and telecasting news stories provided by it. BBC management in a
communication from London commended quality of news items produced by SANA saying information provided by the agency is “Reliable & Accurate”. In the communication BBC seeks permission for using information on SANA website in its broadcast. The bureau offices of SANA have been working at Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Hyderabad, Muzaffarabad, New York, London, Dubai, Jeddah, Birmingham, Srinagar, Doha and Brussels. Presently over 300 reporters, correspondent and stingers are working with “SANA” throughout the country.
CPNE Membership:
SANA enjoys membership of Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) and being members of this prestigious council the agency has been actively participating at every journalist forum of the country.
SANA is enjoying important role at CPNE.
Pioneer member of PNAC;
SANA had played pivotal role in the formation of Pakistan News Agencies Council (PNAC) and at presently the Editor-in-Chief of SANA is the Secretary General of the organization of the news agencies working in private sector of the country.
Internship Programme for Fresh Graduates:
Three big universities of the country, Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan, National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad (AIOU) and other universities of the country refer their students to SANA for internship that is compulsory for the final degree. SANA encourages students and provide them conducive atmosphere to polish their professional skills. A large number of professionals trained by SANA is serving in key media organizations all over the Pakistan.
