ISLAMABAD: Around 60 countries are to attend Pakistan’s fifth weapons’ show — IDEAS-2008 (International Defense Exhibition and Seminar-2008) — which is scheduled for Nov. 24-26 at the Karachi Expo Center.
Countries expected to exhibit their military hardware at the event, include the US, the UK, Malaysia, China, Germany, Spain, Italy and France.
While chairing a second steering committee meeting for IDEAS here yesterday, Maj. Gen. Muhammad Farooq, Defense Export Promotion Organization (DEPO’s) director general, said, “From the overwhelming response of foreign exhibitors for IDEAS-2008, one can gauge the popularity of this mega event. It is heartening to note that more than 92 percent of space has already been booked.”
He added that the surge in response from foreign exhibitors could be attributed to the formal launch of the show by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in Islamabad on May 23, 2008. Ambassadors, high commissioners, defense attaches and top-level from the corporate sector representatives attended the event.
Farooq told participants at the meeting that IDEAS-2008 could help promote Pakistan’s image as a responsible and well-organized nation among foreign delegates, exhibitors and trade visitors.
Pakistan, being a manufacturer of land, sea and air weapons, initiated a series of IDEAS in 2000 — which are similar to Farnbrough, the French Air Show and the UAE’s IDEX — when it completed its serial production of MBT Al-Khalid and JF Thunder multiple fighter jets. Pakistan is also producing Augusta submarines with French assistance.
