Over 400 foreign, local firms to exhibit products at IDEAS
KARACHI: The defence industries of Turkey, China, Russia, North America, South America, Europe and Asia will have a significant presence at the 9th International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS), which is to open at the Karachi Expo Centre on Tuesday (Nov 22).
According to Commodore Tahir Javed, media director of the Defence Export Promotion Organisation (DEPO), Ministry of Defence Production, they have received an overwhelming response from exhibitors as well as delegations from around the globe for the biennial event.
Briefing media at the curtain-raiser on Sunday, he said the four-day event included the inaugural ceremony, seminar, the governor’s reception, sideline conferences where exhibitors would brief the participants on their products and the concluding ceremony.
“The inaugural day of the exhibition will be dedicated to officially invited delegations comprising senior officials of foreign countries, exhibitors and trade visitors from Pakistan and abroad,” he added.
About 90 delegations from 43 countries have already arrived to attend the exhibition and seminar, including 30 high-level teams comprising defence ministers, defence secretaries and services chiefs.
About 90 delegations from 43 countries have arrived to attend the four-day event
Accompanied by the director coordination of DEPO Brig Waheed Mumtaz, SSP (traffic) Erum Awan and chief operating officer of Badar Expo Solutions Zohair Naseer, Commodore Javed said that 418 firms — 261 from 34 foreign countries and 157 from Pakistan — would exhibit their products, adding that the DEPOT had also managed to rope in nine new countries — Luxembourg, Denmark, Belarus, Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Belgium, Nigeria and Romania.
Although Chinese and Turkish defence industries will have a significant presence, Russia is participating in the event this time in a big way.
“In 2014, only one Russian design and manufacturing company from Moscow, Russian Helicopters, participated for the first time. But this year we have three Russian companies taking part. There is Russian Helicopters again. And we also have Rosoboronexport and GlobalSecurity,” Commodore Javed said, adding that the DEPO had also been participating in their defence exhibitions in Russia.
The DEPO has booked a major portion of available space at the Expo Centre for defence companies’ stalls, besides adding a hall in the form of a marquee.
Some of the major indigenously developed products to be showcased at the event include battle tank Al-Khalid, JF-17 Thunder, Super Mushshak and K-8 aircraft, Fast Attack Craft Missile boats, UAVs, armoured personnel carriers and premium grade military hardware.
Besides showcasing of products, there will be several high-level meetings among foreign delegates, key government officials and participants on the sidelines of the four-day IDEAS for forging alliances in defence production. An important international defence seminar will be held at a hotel on Nov 22. Sidelines conferences have been planned at the exhibition venue on Nov 23 and 24.
In reply to a question about the number of memorandums of understanding (MoU) signed during the previous IDEAS events and how many expected this time around, Brig Waheed Mumtaz said that MoUs were an ongoing process. “The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Defence Production both sign MoUs all year. The DEPO is only a facilitator, which holds defence exhibitions and seminars to create opportunities. Still the DEPO would like to see as many opportunities for signing such MoUs as possible during IDEAS,” he said.
About promoting indigenously developed products, he said defence exports were decentralised and the DEPO was not an executive authority. It is only a facilitator.
In reply to a question about the current situation along the Line of Control, he said the exhibition carried a message that Pakistan was very advanced in defence capabilities, far ahead of its enemies.
Briefing media on the traffic plan and alternative arrangements during IDEAS in order to facilitate the public during rush hours, SSP Erum Awan said that earlier the administration had proposed a few arrangements for review and after further planning the office of the deputy inspector general of police (traffic) had decided to keep both tracks of the University Road open to traffic.
“It may be closed for a few minutes during VIP movement, but will be reopened soon after,” she said, adding that banners would be put up to guide citizens about the traffic arrangements and re-routing plan a day prior to IDEAS.
Published in Dawn November 21st, 2016
http://www.dawn.com/news/1297639
261 foreign firms to attend IDEAS 2016
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KARACHI: Commodore Tahir Javed has said that 90 delegations of 43 countries are participating in IDEAS 2016, while 261 foreign and 157 Pakistani firms will put up their stalls.
Addressing a press conference regarding the 9th IDEAS 2016 starting from November 22 at the Karachi Expo Center, Director Media Defense Export Promotion Organization Commodore Tahir Javed said that the exhibition has been extended from all the previous IDEAS expos and foreign defense delegations have responded positively over the invitations and 90 delegations from 43 countries are participating in the exhibition.
He said that two MoUs were signed in 2014, while this year 14 MoUs will be signed. The International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) is the biggest defence exhibition of international stature, held biennially in Pakistan. The route leading to the Expo Centre from Karachi Airport has been decorated with national flags and buntings and the traffic police have announced alternate routes as the four-day International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) 2016 is set to begin on Nov 22.
The IDEAS 2014 was successfully conducted from 1-4 December 2014, at Expo Center, Karachi. It was 8th in the series, since the inception of the Exhibition. The IDEAS 2014 had an opportunity and distinction to host participants from 67 countries. It also attracted 256 exhibitors, 88 foreign defence delegations (from 50 countries) including trade visitors.
According to DEPO, the IDEAS-2014 was a great success. All the defence delegates, exhibitors, trade visitors and speakers of the seminar/sideline conferences conveyed their appreciation for the elaborate planning, efficient organization, flawless and befitting conduct of this mega international event of our region. The forum indeed helped to project Pakistan as a modern, progressive and tolerant state that is determined to recover her distorted image.
Now, the IDEAS 2016 would improve the image of Karachi at international level, the District Municipal Corporation (DMC) Korangi said in a statement on Sunday as it placed welcome banners for the delegates from Karachi Airport up to Drigh Road and also decorated the route with national flags and buntings.
While the office of the DIG Traffic Police, Karachi, in a statement said on Sunday that instructions had been issued regarding alternate routes and diversions for public, commercial and private vehicles owners in connection with IDEAS 2016 to be held at the Expo Centre, Karachi, from Nov 22 to 25. The motorists have been requested to follow the following instructions to avoid any inconvenience.
1) All commercial vehicles coming from Karachi Airport towards Stadium via Karsaz will be diverted towards Baloch Colony U turn from Tipu Sultan Bridge towards the Shaheed-e-Millat Road to approach the Jail Flyover, University Road, Gharibabad, etc.
2) Both tracks of the University Road will remain open for vehicular traffic. However,
i) All commercial vehicles coming from SITE area to proceed Sharae Faisal or Karsaz will be diverted from Liaquatabd No10 to Sharae-e-Pakistan.
ii) All vehicles coming from Liaquatabad-Gharibabad to proceed Sharae-e-Faisal or Karsaz will be diverted before Hassan Square Flyover (left) towards Sehba Akhtar Road, Machli Cut, University Road, University Road to NIPA and U Turn towards Rashid Minhas to Drigh Road and Sharae-e-Faisal. The Hassan Square Flyover will remain closed.
3) During the exhibition, Sir Shah Suleman Road from Hassan Square up to the Stadium Intersection will be closed.
4) Only sticker bearing vehicles will be allowed to proceed from the Stadium Bridge to Karachi Expo Center for their designated parking area.
However, the rest of the vehicular traffic will be diverted towards the Stadium Road under the Stadium Bridge right towards Dalmia and Millennium, similarly left towards Dhoraji, New Town PS, etc.
5) The public and heavy vehicles coming from Sohrab Goth towards the city area are advised to use Sharae-e-Pakistan and Sher Shah Soori Road (Nagan towards Board Office).
Similarly, the traffic coming from the University Road towards city area should use NIPA left turn Rashid Minhas.
6) Heavy public and commercial vehicles coming from Karsaz towards Stadium will not be allowed from Karsaz Flyover.
7) No vehicle will be permitted to park along the route at and around Expo Centre ie Sir Shah Suleman Road, Stadium Crossing to Hassan Square and Hassan Square to Baitul Mukaram Masjid. The route will be kept clear of all parking and other obstructions.
The general information for the residents at Hassan Square were: All residents at and around the area of Hassan Square and other road users are requested to follow instructions of Traffic Police to avoid inconvenience.
Sir Shah Suleman Road from Hassan Square Bridge up to National Stadium, normal traffic will not be allowed.
So public is requested to use the Sehba Akhtar Road, Machli Cut, University Road to NIPA, or U turn at Jafri Optics, KDA Society, National Stadium backside Steel Yar Cut, Stadium Road, LDA Office, U Turn to Karsaz and onwards.
The people were requested to follow the instructions of Traffic Police.
--Originally published in
The News
https://www.geo.tv/latest/121152-261-foreign-firms-to-attend-IDEAS-2016