The biggest international event of information technology (IT) in Pakistan, 18th ITCN exhibition will start from September 25 (today) at Karachi Expo Centre. The three-day event will be inaugurated by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui who is serving as the federal minister for information technology. Over 600 international and domestic Information Technology (IT) brands will present their products in the exhibition and more than 250 delegates from various domestic and foreign companies will also participate in the Fire and Safety Asia Exhibition. At ITCN, main topics of several conferences will include China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and importance of IT in Pakistan. The exhibition will also hold conference on digital security, E commerce summit, CEOs forum for Pakistan Software Export Board and other related topics. Umair Nizam, the vice president of E-Commerce Gateway said that both the exhibitions have occupied six halls of the expo center and it is expected that over 150,000 people will visit both the exhibitions. He shared that in the 17th ITCN Exhibition, agreements worth $100 million (m) were signed and expressed the hope that this year there would be an increase in the number of accords signed. He further said that it was a big challenge to organise the 18th ITCN and Fire and Safety Asia exhibitions simultaneously but the organisers have planned it all out meticulously. IBA Center for Information and Communication Technology Director Imran Batada said that during the last three years they had been cooperating in exchange of information. He said that there will be more advancement in the 18th ITCN exhibition. Speaking about the twin events, Imran Batada said that two important conferences will be held where experts will share their experiences. “It is expected that foreign investors would be more proactive this year compared to previous exhibitions,” he added. While the ITCN is being organised by E-Commerce Gateway in collaboration with IBA, the Fire and Safety Asia Exhibition is a result of E-Commerce Gateway’s strategic partnership with several stakeholders including the government of Pakistan, Pakistan Security Agency Association, Fire Protection Association and Pakistan Institute of Management. Published in Daily Times, September 25th 2018.