The 8th of the biennially conducted International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) will commence from December 1 at Karachi Expo Centre. “We are receiving overwhelming response from the exhibitors as well as delegations from around the globe which will boost our confidence and assure the success of IDEAS 2014,” said Commodore Tahir Javed, Director Media of Defence Export Promotion Organisation (DEPO), Ministry of Defence Production. He was briefing a group of media personnel on Saturday at the curtain raiser of IDEAS 2014 at Expo Center, Karachi. Brigadier Mazhar Mumtaz, Director Coordination DEPO, Muhammad Jahangir Mughal, SSP Traffic Central and Zohair Naseer, Chief Operating Officer Badar Expo Solutions were also present on the occasion. The exhibition will be open from December 1, 2014, for officially invited delegations comprising senior officials of foreign countries, exhibitors and trade visitors from abroad and inland, he added.

“Holding of IDEAS-2014 is a proud moment for all of us and is a clear manifestation of the fact that Pakistan does not lag behind in quality defence production.” The commodore added that a very positive response had been received from the invited foreign defence delegations. Some 88 delegations would represent different countries from around the globe, of which around 47 delegations were high-level, headed either by the defence ministers, joint chiefs, services chiefs or defence secretaries of the respective countries. In addition to this, 333 firms will exhibit their products, of which, 256 are foreign and 77 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. The director (Media) DEPO further said that some of the major indigenously developed products to be showcased in IDEAS-2014 include Main Battle Tank Al–Khalid, JF–17 Thunder Fighter Aircraft and Armoured Personnel Carriers etc. Meanwhile, he stated, that during the IDEAS-2014 there would be multiple high-level meetings planned on the side line of the exhibition between foreign delegates, key government officials, and participants of the exhibition for forging alliances in defence production.

The international defence seminar is another important facet of IDEAS which will be held in a five star hotel in the evening of December 1. “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. He also thanked the media for covering the event as IDEAS-2014 is of great significance and almost every region of the world has representation in it. He also added that the presence of a large number of international media depicted the importance of IDEAS-2014. Media will play a key role in promoting potential of Pakistan Defence Industry on the international horizon. On the occasion, Dr Aamir Ahmed Shaikh, DIG Traffic Central, also briefed the media about the traffic plan and alternate arrangements for traffic in order to facilitate public during the rush hours of IDEAS-2014. He said a traffic re-routing plan would be put in place around the Expo Center for the knowledge of citizens about the traffic arrangements and use of alternate routes during the event.

Source : http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/