KARACHI, 22 November 2006 — President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said yesterday that Pakistan wanted resolution of disputes and good relations with India.
“I hope when Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Pakistan, we will have talks to resolve the disputes,” he said in response to newsmen’s questions during a visit to International Defense Exhibition & Seminar (IDEAS) 2006 at the Expo Center in Karachi yesterday.
President Musharraf called for substantive talks on Kashmir, Siachen Glacier and other issues.
Meanwhile, nine delegations visiting the seminar called on President Musharraf at the Karachi Expo Center yesterday.
Talking to Arab News Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad said Karachi has been the venue for several key events during the past four years. IDEAS, since its launch, has generated a lot of revenue and would continue to be an annual event, he said.
Delegates from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Thailand, Bosnia, Myanmar and China evinced interest in joint venture projects.
Pakistan, whose defense-related exports exceeded $200 million in the last fiscal year, is touting locally built tanks and other weapons to carve a niche for itself in the global arms market.
Pakistani military is showcasing domestically produced arms and defense equipment at the four-day exhibition. “Our target is to get a major deal and sell Al-Khalid (a tank), Al-Zarar (a tank) or K-8 trainer (aircraft),” said Maj. Gen. Absar Hussain, director general of the Defense Export Promotion Organization.
A deal for any one of the systems would be seen as a success, he said.
More then 230 companies from about 50 countries, including the United States, France, Germany, China and Turkey, are taking part in the exhibition. Companies from Pakistan’s old rival, India, have not been invited, officials said.
“It is the kind of response which is very encouraging for us,” Hussain said, referring to the number of participants.
