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GDG Peshawar a local community of developers interested in Google’s technology organized Pakistan’s biggest developer’s conference at IMScinece, Peshawar.
DevFest Peshawar 2019 is a celebration of Peshawar’s innovation with the help of technology gathering speakers, trainers, and attendees from all around the globe. It is happening around the globe for years but this is first ever in Peshawar.
On the opening session, Director IMSciences Dr. Mohsin Said, “Since IMSciences is the biggest management institute in the whole of KP, it is all the more necessary for it to give space and opportunities to the youth to put their talents and skills on display so that they may succeed in making a name for themselves when they enter the market.”
He also talked about the achievements of the institute and gave an overview to the participants regarding the new programs that have recently been included, in particular, data science, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Further, He added, “Peshawar is no longer as problematic as it was in the past, and that people should visit it frequently, observe its rich culture and tradition and roam around as freely as people do in some of the most advanced and safe cities around the globe.”
It was a 3-track conference, focused on talks related to Google Technologies such as TensorFlow, Kotlin, Firebase and on Machine Learning, Women In Tech, Fourth Industrial Revolution as well as entrepreneurship in general.
Talking to the Media, Salman Saeed Manager of GDG Peshawar said, “The fact that despite the workforce of software export increasing, activities related to Google and other such technologies were nowhere to be seen delineates that it is significant that such platforms on the provincial level be kickstarted. And although GDG Peshawar has conducted many small-scale events, it is through events like DevFest Peshawar that mindsets change and ideas are exchanged.”
Such events come in handy in particular when there is a scarcity, as is the case with Peshawar, of innovative and novel ideas, and when all that is taught to the youth is the conventional and outdated curriculum that doesn’t fall in line with the changing trends.
Further, Saeed added, “It is for grand events like these that foreigners feel all the more secure to come to visit Pakistan and share their experiences and interact with its youth. Their coming to this province not only helps in the better portrayal of this country’s image but also gives an opportunity to its youth to learn from them and exchange ideas.”
International Speaker also attended and spoke at the conference such as Javad Mushtaq, Truong Sinh, and Annie To. Speaking on the occasion, Javad Mushtaq from Norway, Peshawar has such a good market for Software export and having also good potential in technology-related activities.
Advisor to Chief Minister For Science & Technology also spoke to the event, He said, “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa govt is making the province the digital heart of the country, and for this, the KPITB is playing a good role such as Early Age Programming, Durshal and newly build workout space”
Saad Hamid, Fasih Mehta, Asif Khan, Dr. Faisal Khan, Qazi Waheed, Uzair and other key stockholders of the ecosystem spoke on the occasion. The event was organized with the partnership of Payoneer (Codelabs were in Payoneer Room), IM Sciences (Venue Partner), Business Incubation Centre (Execution Partners), UNDP (also supporting partner and amplified the outreach) and Peshawar Model Schools.
