While attendance at this year’s ITCN Asia International Conference and Exhibition remained low, the intermittent monsoon showers to be blamed for that, the quality of visitors and the legitimacy of interest was as deplorable as previous years.
The exhibition, in its seventh year of running, comprised over 320 stalls occupied by 130 exhibitors that, which were attended by over 10,000 visitors including international and local corporate guests and delegates, IT professionals, investors as well as students. There also existed, in large majority, the fervent fun-loving individuals who had braved the threatening and testing weather conditions to attend the exhibition in anticipation of yet another freebie galore as it rained bags, pens, badges and T-shirts. All this, while some families enjoyed a day out.
Contradicting this, Ashar Noman, speaking on behalf of Ecommerce Gateway, the event organisers, said: “We do get a fair few uninterested people whose sole purpose in life is to enter empty-handed and leave with whatever free stuff, including leaflets, they can get their hands on. However, majority of visitors witnessed in these halls are genuinely interested personnel who visit ITCN, the exhibition and conference, to get enlightened on new happenings in the technology world.”
ITCN, according to him, allows the smaller companies and individuals to witness technology, and its advent and spread under one roof that would otherwise be impossible for them to see or even hear about otherwise.
“Since we invite foreign companies and delegates to this exhibition, our visitors get to see how people in foreign countries think and how they use the tools and knowledge available to them. You can’t expect these people to visit events such as these abroad for reasons that are obvious.”
But does it really help the smaller companies located in Pakistan? According to a few present at the exhibition, yes.
“ITCN gives us a chance to present our products and solutions to customers and well as the general public in a collective manner,” a spokesperson for Amyn Associates confirmed. “Neither do we need to go out and advertise hoping that a customer pays heed and visits us, nor do we have to wait till someone actually requires those services or products. Being present at this exhibition, it enables a company like ours to approach them and make them aware of our existence and services and by offering special discount, we not only increase our sales instantly, but also build a stable customer-base for the future.”
Amyn Associates seemed to have greatly benefited from their presence at ITCN last year as well with a reported 40 per cent increase in sales resulting directly from the exhibition. However, the consensus on the level of interest in technology within the crowd is agreed as previously.
“Although we tend to benefit due to the presence of genuinely interested people in the crowd, I would say that only 30 per cent of what you see here can be counted as part of that.”
So why have such a huge event if only 30 per cent are interested?
“Because the scope of information technology in Pakistan is now huge,” Ashar said. “You have a neighbouring country like India as a technology giant and you have China breathing down as well. There is no way Pakistan can afford to stay too far back anymore.”
It is perhaps due to that vision that the city government decided to establish the IT Complex in Karachi. Due to be completed in 2008, as hoped by CDGK officials present at ITCN, it will not just be the exterior structure that will dazzle one and all.
“Even though the project is entirely funded by foreign investment, the companies operating in the premises will all be local. There will be call centres, IT departments and small companies who will get the guidance as well as exposure to take their business, and Pakistan’s economy forward, and in turn, increase the level of interest and awareness in the public,” a CDGK spokesman said.
With so much effort being put into how things are shaping up for the future in terms of infrastructure and technology, students, the future workforce, were being treated indifferently at the event.
“The event is closed for general public and students are not allowed to visit in uniforms,” the organisers told us. “This is due to reluctance on international delegates’ part as they deem it unprofessional.”
A bizarre statement and strategy given that up till now, it was all about how these companies and the events can help draw a better future for Pakistan’s IT industry. However, the fair few students who did manage to make it past security had mostly positive response for an event they were not the centre of attention.
“It is an excellent opportunity for us to come across the technology that is shaping the world today, something that we would never have been able to fall upon otherwise,” said a 2nd-year engineering student.
According to a computer science student, such events not only create awareness in the public, especially students who are aspiring towards creating their own software and hardware, but also come face-to-face with it. This is far better than reading about it on the internet or watching them on a television programme.”
Sir Syed Institute of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) seemed to have benefited well from ITCN. Final-year students who have had their projects displayed in the exhibition have, in the past, been approached by professionals present at the event and handed internship opportunities, guidance and even permanent employment offered to them.
“Here, we don’t have to go running around searching for the right contacts and the right channels. We have people head-hunting and by presenting our projects to them, we get the chance to interact with the right person without wasting time,” a SSUET student said.
Emphasis on students had formed a general trend even with the entry restrictions that had been placed. Arena Multimedia, for example, had set up a stall to offer guidance and information on how multimedia (three-dimensional and video) had now taken off and how imperative it was for technology students to be aware and in command of that.
“Media is the fastest growing sector in Pakistan. With new television channels, production houses and magazines cropping up, requirement for design has increased considerably,” Asma Fazil, a multimedia instructor, said.
The Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) had also thought of it as a worthy venture to set up a stall with 18 of its partner companies. However, theirs seemed to be a lackadaisical affair, with minimal interest due to the lack of giveaways.
The Marketing Officer for PSEB, Ayesha Ahmed, was quite aware of the situation, both in terms of how Pakistan is faring in the technology world and how freebies play an essential part of drawing crowds.
“Out of the 40 per cent people that are actually interested in what the companies really have to offer apart from freebies, students have made up a big number. Freebies do, however, play an integral role in bringing people to your stalls. From then on, it is the quality of information that you disseminate that keeps or breaks their attention.”
On initial thoughts, ITCN Asia provided an entertainment mode for the otherwise starved Karachiites. However, the amount of information gained from the experts solely depended on the individuals seeking it. And even though the telecom companies gathered the largest crowds, an ardent hoard of cronies, thanks mainly to the ample supply of T-shirts and caps, there was vital information being etched onto the visitors’ brains. Increasing the level of awareness is a gradual process and has to be undertaken in a sly manner. The methods chosen appeared crummy, but were effective as now a commoner knew that a mobile phone can be used for functions other than calls and text messaging.
And even though this writer left the event without any freebies (perhaps the only one), there prevailed a serene level of satisfaction that the future of information technology in Pakistan is on the road to recovery at a decent pace.
© Faras Ghani 2007
Published in Sci-tech World (Dawn) 18th Aug 2007
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