Delegations from leading defence-manufacturing companies from Pakistan are currently in Istanbul, Turkey to attend the 13th International Defence Industry fair (IDEF) 2017.
A press release issued from Istanbul stated that the “Pakistan Pavilion,” was attracting large sums of visitors and buyers and is one of the busiest stall in the fair.
Fourteen delegations from Pakistan as well as leading Pakistani companies including Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF), Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT), Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO), National Radio & Telecommunication (NRTC) etc are participating in the event.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim inaugurated the fair on Tuesday while Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, who is leading Pakistan delegation to the event, also cut the ribbon along with the Turkish premier.
The Turkish prime minister later visited various stalls and also visited Pakistani stalls. He interacted with the officers at PAC, HIT and POF stalls. The Turkish prime minister was apprised of the quality and capabilities of the products being produced by Pakistani defence industry.
On the side-lines, Tanveer met with Minister for Defence Industry of Azerbaijan, Deputy Defence Minister of Malaysia and other dignitaries. He also met with a delegation of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) including Chairman Oguz Borat and President and CEO Dr Temel Kotil.
Pakistan delegation also includes Secretary Defence Production Lt Gen (R) Syed Muhammad Awais, Secretary Defence Lt Gen (R) Zamir Ul Hassan Shah, Director General DEPO Maj Gen Agha Masood Akram, Chairman HIT Lt Gen Muhammad Naeem Ashraf, Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Chairman PAC Air Marshal Arshad Malik, Chairman POF Brig Tahir Islam, Director General Military Procurement Maj Gen Faiz Muhammad Khan Bangash, Ambassador of Pakistan to Turkey Sohail Mahmood and other high ranking officials of the defence production sector of Pakistan.
Members of the Pakistan delegation are holding meetings with their Turkish counterparts and other visiting delegations from the Middle East, Africa and Europe in hopes of getting orders for their products.
Pakistan’s participation in the fair came on the heels of a successful defence exhibition “International Defence Exhibition and Seminar” or IDEAS 2016 which was recently organised in Karachi. Pakistan is offering high tech air and ground equipment and hardware for sale, which manifests the country, has achieved self-sufficiency in many fields.
