I had to fly to Islamabad the very next day PDC 2005 ended so I couldn't blog about this earlier. I am back in Karachi now, so here goes.
The Pakistan Developer Conference this year, as in 2003 and 2004, was a roaring success. In addition to the great speakers including Rafal Lukawiecki, Stephen Forte, Clemens Vesters, Arvindra Sehmi, and Goksin Bakir (who also happens to be the Regional Head for INETA MEA region), the major difference at PDC 2005 was the Community Lounge, providing delegates with an opportunity to network with professionals, MVPs, and ofcourse the Speakers. For me personally, the experience was unforgettable. I was always accompanied by my 2 trusted comarades, Saqib Ilyas and Hammad Rajjoub. Since Hammad sahab was visiting Karachi from Dubai after almost 3 months, it was great to have him with us. I think INETA Pakistan was really able to reach out to the Pakistani .NET community during the 3 days of the conference. We have been invited to a number of cities in Pakistan, specifically Sukkur, Hyderabad, and Nawabshah. Also, many people in Karachi who did not take INETA Pakistan seriously are now bombarding us with e-mails, inviting us to speak at their venues. And while Saqib sahab, Hammad sahab, and I were running about doing our stuff during the conference, a handful of volunteers from NED University of Engineering and Technology worked tirelessly to talk to people about INETA, the Microsoft MVP Program, and Imagine Cup. I thank you volunteers; Miss Sabrina, Miss Shehzina, Miss Sundaleen, Miss ZumZum, and Miss Preeyaa; all of you did a great job.