KARACHI: Photo journalists from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka have joined their hands to form the South Asia Photojournalists Association (SAPA). President Pakistan Association of Photojournalists (PAPJ) Mujeeb-ur-Rehman on Sunday said the decision in this regard was made by photojournalists from different South Asian countries during the recently held PAPJ convention.
He said the Secretariat of SAPA would be located in Karachi while Japan had also been granted honorary membership of the association. Massoud Hossaini from Afghanistan (Pulitzer Prize winner 2012) has been elected as the first president of SAPA with Azmat Ataka being voted as its first secretary general. Max Becherer will serve as the Chief Adviser to the Association. Rehman mentioned that the programme was also attended by photojournalists from Japan and USA as observers. He said SAPA is dedicated to the advancement and promotion of photojournalism in SARC region and also to safeguard the freedom of press.
