IDEAS 2012 all set to commence at Expo Centre

The 7th of the biennially conducted International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) will commence from Wednesday at Karachi Expo Center.
“Despite the fact that the Exhibition is being held after a gap of 4 Yrs, we have received overwhelming response from the Exhibitors as well as delegations from around the globe,” said Commodore Siddiq Akbar, Director (Media) of Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO), Ministry of Defence Production.
He was briefing a group of media personnel on Monday at the curtain raiser of IDEAS 2012 at Expo Center, Karachi. Brigadier Mazhar, Director Coordination, DEPO and Zulfiqar Ali Mahar, SSP Traffic Central were also present on the occasion.
The Exhibition will be open for officially invited delegations comprising senior officials of foreign countries and trade visitors from abroad and inland. Last Day of the exhibition will be reserved for the students of colleges and universities, he added.
Holding of IDEAS-2012 is a proud moment for all of us and is a clear manifestation of the fact that Pakistan does not lack behind in quality defence production.
The Commodore added that a very positive response has been received from the invited foreign defence delegations. Around 80 Delegations would represent different countries from around the globe, of which around 24 delegations are high-level, headed either by the defence ministers, secretaries or service chiefs of the respective countries. In addition to this, 209 firms will exhibit their products, of which, 135 are foreign and 74 Pakistani firms.
‘We have booked a major portion of available space at the Expo Center to accommodate defence companies from Turkey, China, North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Far East, he added. Director (Media), DEPO further said that some of the major indigenously developed products to be showcased in IDEAS-2012 include Main Battle Tank Al–Khalid, JF–17 Thunder Fighter Aircraft, Jet Trainer Aircraft and UAVs etc.
Meanwhile, he stated, that during the IDEAS-2012 there will be over hundreds of high level meetings planned on the side lines of the exhibition between foreign delegates, key government officials, and participants of the exhibition for forging alliances in defence production.
International Defence Seminar is another important facet of IDEAS, which will be held in a five Star Hotel in the evening of 7th Nov. From this time around, another intellectual forum has been introduced in the shape of Side Line Conferences. These Conferences will be held at the venue of IDEAS on 8th Nov. During these conferences, the challenges being faced by the Armed Forces of Pakistan in particular, and international forces in general, will be highlighted.
We have made special arrangements to facilitate coverage of the event by local and international media as media’s role in the present era could not be undermined’, he added.