By Muhammad Zeeshan TWA Lahore:The 24th edition of ITCN Asia, Pakistan’s biggest IT and telecom expo and conference, taking place from April 18–20 at Expo Center in Lahore. First day of the event State Minister for IT & Telecom Shaza Khawaja was the chief guest and Deemah Al Yahya, Secretary General of Digital Cooperation Organization, was the global guest of honor at the inauguration of the three-day trade fair. Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja has said that more than six hundred IT companies, over fifty five thousand participants and around one hundred international delegates are taking part in the ongoing three days 24th edition of ITCN Asia conference at Expo Center Lahore. In an exclusive interview with “The Other Side”, she said the objective of this event is to highlight the expertise and products of our private sector at the international level so that they can get business in the IT sector. Shaza Fatima Khawaja said that sixty eight percent of Pakistan’s population consists of young people and IT is a field that has a lot of opportunities available for them. The minister said that the government’s vision is to bring as much skill training as possible for the youth in the IT sector. Shaza Fatima Khawaja expressed her determination that the government will provide cheap loans to the IT sector so that the freelancers can thrive. She said that the government has started the Industry Academia Bridge Program under which IT students in universities can collaborate with the private sector to get practical training while studying and secure their jobs. Event Director ITCN Asia Umair Nizam said the IT, telecom, and associated industries are entering a unique promising era in Pakistan, as the country is embracing technological trends and modern applications in every aspect of life. On the direction of SIFC and the policies of the current, the Pakistani tech ecosystem is entering new markets in the Gulf region while solidifying its existing western markets at the same time, he added. ITCN Asia will maintain its tradition to serve as the largest platform for all stakeholders of the tech ecosystem, including policymakers, foreign investors, global tech giants, telecom operators, and consumers, providing them exciting opportunities to explore the latest trends in accordance with their interests and requirements. Meanwhile, 10Pearls, a global IT company, is all set to organise a two-day AI summit on April 18–19 at the 23rd ITCN Asia Conference and Exhibition in Expo Center, Lahore. As per details, a delegation of international investors from 12 countries with an investment fund of $500 million are visiting to this event, which is a testament to Pakistan’s lucrative technology ecosystem. The event is hosting more than 700 booths, including leading global and Pakistani tech giants Microsoft, Inbox, Redhat, TP-Link, Lenovo, HP, Netsol, Abacus, Dell, etc. More than 250 global speakers sharing insights in over 20 knowledge sessions, including the AI Summit, Global Security Symposium, Gaming Roundtable, Skills Roundtable, Investor Summit, Digital Health, Proptech, Freelancer Summit, Made in Pakistan Roundtable.