Monday, November 24, 2008
By By our correspondent
Karachi
With the participation of 162 defence manufacturing organisations from 58 countries in this years International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS-2008), organisers of the event have termed it the biggest exhibition in the countrys history.
The five-day IDEAS event starting on Monday (today) at the Karachi Expo Centre is aimed at bringing together local and international arms manufacturers and buyers, and exploring possibilities for cooperation and joint ventures in the field of defence production.
Director-General of Defence Export Promotion Organisation (DEPO) Major General Mohammad Farooq, who is the organiser of IDEAS, told newsmen at a press conference on Sunday that holding an event with such a remarkable presence of international participation would surely help in the growth of the countrys defence industry and related businesses.
In all, 256 defence-related companies will participate in IDEAS-2008 including 94 Pakistani firms. Out of the 94 Pakistani defence companies, almost 60 per cent are from the private sector.
221 defence manufacturing companies participated in IDEAS-2006 including 73 domestic and 148 foreign firms from 27 countries.
The first IDEAS was held 2000, with the participation of 125 companies from 45 countries.
IDEAS-2008 will see the JF-17 thunder fighter aircraft put to display for the first time at a defence exhibition as a co-production of Pakistani and Chinese defence industries.
A seminar is also being held on the first day of IDEAS at a local hotel where national and international defence experts and analysts will dwell on issues concerning security and defence needs of the region in the backdrop of the war against terrorism.
Some 66 defence delegations from participating countries are also taking part in the IDEAS-2008 out of which 30 delegations are high-level, headed either by the defence ministers, secretaries or services chiefs of the countries.
On the sidelines of the IDEAS-2008, over 100 high-level meetings will be held between foreign delegates, key government officials and participants of the exhibition for forging alliances in defence production. Some 7,500 persons have been directly employed by the organisers of IDEAS this year for holding the event.
The organisers have also involved over 300 students of prestigious institutes of higher education in the city and imparted training regarding event organisation. There have been also numerous persons indirectly employed for holding of the event.
Maj. Gen. Farooq said that various unnecessary expenditures for holding IDEAS-2008 had been slashed as the organisers, for the first time, had put in place the idea of self-reliance and hence did not get any financial support from the national exchequer.
He said that IDEAS-2008 would also directly benefit the cause of augmenting production capabilities of Pakistans defence manufacturing industry. The event also provides a platform for the exchange of ideas, needs and strategies on defence issues among friendly and regional countries, thus promoting a move towards peaceful resolution of international disputes, he said.
He said that, owing to the holding of four previous IDEAS events since 2000, the demand for small and light arms, rocket launchers and anti-tank missiles manufactured by Pakistan had increased phenomenally in the international market.
He said that, thanks to embargoes slapped on Pakistans defence procurement from time to time, the country had achieved self-reliance in defence manufacturing in different spheres.
To a question, the DG DEPO said that, given the shortage of space for demonstration of heavy and mechanised weapons and other security concerns, future events of IDEAS should be shifted to a better location, away from heavily populated areas. He said that, as development of infrastructure in other cities would take time, the immediate shifting of the venue of events and exhibitions such as IDEAS was not possible.
He expressed his gratitude for people of Karachi who had shown their most sincere and heartfelt gesture of hospitality for guests from so many countries participating in IDEAS, which had ensured the success of the international exhibition. He said that the occupancy of major hotels in Karachi had shot up to 100 per cent due to the event and such positive trends would surely help promote business and economic activities for benefit of Karachiites.
IDEAS-2008 to kick-off today at Expo Centre
