By USMAN ANSARI
KARACHI — Chinese and Turkish companies have been fiercely vying for business at Pakistan’s bi-annual International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) arms fair in Karachi.
Cancelled due to the devastating floods in 2010, IDEAS2012, which started on Wednesday and runs through Sunday, has taken place amid tight security and an uncertain financial climate. Despite the financial climate however, there was still a reasonably strong showing of international defense companies hoping to secure orders from a country facing a constant threat of insecurity.
These ranged from German marine systems firm Atlas Elektronik, a supplier of torpedoes and sonar equipment to the Pakistan navy, to Ukrainian state-owned military import and export company UKRSPECEXPORT, which hopes to secure more Pakistan orders — especially for armored fighting vehicles. Ukraine has been instrumental in the development of Pakistan’s main battle tank, the Al-Khalid.
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