KARACHI: Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer has expressed the hope that Ideas-2014 will help increase exports of Pakistani defence products.

Talking to delegates from around the world on the sidelines of Ideas-2014 at Expo Centre here on Wednesday, he said Pakistan had received a very good response at the exhibition.

He said Russian participation in the event was significant. “We are optimistic about cooperation between Pakistan and Russia.”

The delegates from China, Qatar, Turkey, Korea, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan and Sudan called on the minister.

Mr Tanveer said over 50 countries took part in the exhibition and described it as a great achievement. Pakistan’s defence exports had doubled in a year, thanks to the state-of-the-art equipment being manufactured by the country’s defence industry, he said.

The minister welcomed joint ventures and signing of agreements with various countries and stressed the need for greater cooperation in defence industry products.

Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, Chief of the Air Staff, PAF, visited different stalls at the exhibition.

The Corps Commander, Karachi, Naveed Mukhtar, also visited the exhibition. “It is an... honour to welcome foreign companies to showcase their defence products,” he said.

Around 256 foreign companies and 77 Pakistani firms have put their products on display.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2014