KARACHI, Dec 27: Every event in which a number of industrial, commercial and social organizations take part is a sign of the times. Dawn’s ‘All About Lifestyles’ exhibition, which opened its doors to Karachiites on Friday afternoon, is no exception.

Many stalls at the event’s venue — Karachi Expo Centre — point the direction towards which the Pakistani society is headed. Others underline the problems besetting the country’s people.

No fewer than four firms dealing in cellular phones have set up shop inside the three exhibition halls. This shows that the cellular phones’ penetration rate — currently hovering over the 1 per cent mark — is sure to increase.

Then there are the internet service providers. The presence of four such entities at the exhibition shows that in future Pakistanis are going to get on the information highway in greater numbers.

Petrol is too expensive. This fact is spotlighted by a stall which showcases a 1700cc car that’s propelled by a diesel engine.

Carjacking and theft cases may be assuming alarming proportions. This fact is underlined by the stall set up by an organization which sells the Global Position System.

Under this system one can pinpoint, to a remarkable degree, the position of his or her car. This system can be used to spot, and then help recover, one’s stolen car.

Sports like golf, which usually make their presence felt in affluent societies, are coming to Pakistan. This is highlighted by the stall set up by a firm that’s getting an 18-hole golf course and several fitness centres constructed on the seafront.

Meanwhile, on the first day of Dawn’s three-day event more than 40,000 people visited the stalls set up in the three halls marked for the purpose.

Mohammedmian Soomro was supposed to visit the exhibition halls but didn’t because Friday was his last day as steward of the province. Instead, the federal commerce minister — Humayun Akhtar — graced the occasion by his presence.

The speaker and the deputy speaker of Sindh Assembly — Muzaffar H. Shah and Rahila Tiwana — visited the venue in the afternoon. And the Nazim of Karachi — Naimatullah Khan — visited in the evening.

According to the spokesmen for Dawn and Chimera, the main organizations behind the event, about 70,000 people visited the event’s venues when it was in Lahore and an equal number when it was in Islamabad.

Because Karachi is the largest city of the country, in all 100,000 people may visit the stalls, one of them said.

A total of 106 stalls have been set up by the organizations that are showcasing their products and services. A fourth hall has been reserved for the baby show, dog show and spelling bee competition to be held on the sidelines of the exhibition.

The baby show was organized on Friday. The spelling bee competition will be held on Saturday and the dog show on Sunday. The dog show is being held in collaboration with the Kennel Club of Pakistan.

A musical show also was held on Friday night. Several well-known artists from Sindh took part in this event.