Concerns of cyber security, cyber bullying, and cyber hygiene are relevant in this age of media where children are all time wired to social media and the internet. Every person needs to be aware of the steps they take to keep them safe from any kind of harm. So, to represent the needs of the cybersecurity ecosystem in the world, IEEE, IES Karachi Section Chapter in Collaboration with Higher Education Authority, Ireland successfully organized the workshop on “CYBER SKILLS” held on 23-Dec-2022 at VDC Hall, IICT Building, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro.
This workshop was organized to acknowledge people about how to detect and mitigate cyber-attacks. It provides training on Cyber Range, Analyzing Potential Malware, Identifying Live Machines, Service Identification, and Protocol Analysis.
The event started with the recitation of the Holy Quran. Afterward, Dr. Abi Waqas, organizer of the event and also serving as Branch Counselor IEEE MUET STB and Chair IEEE IES Karachi Section presented the opening remarks. He welcomed the Chief Guest, Guest speaker, teacher coordinators, and participants and started the formal proceedings of the event.
The chief guest of the event, Prof. Dr. Tuaha Hussain Ali Vice Chancellor of MUET mentioned the need for Cyber Skills in this digital world where things can’t work out without social media and the internet. He also appreciated the efforts of the whole team and the coordinators, Dr. Abi Waqas and Chief organizer Prof. Dr. Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry for arranging such a workshop through which people can be aware of the risks on social media. He also emphasized the role of IEEE in the capacity building of students and professionals. He said, IEEE has a great significance in extra co-curricular activities of this university and bought so many glories for Mehran UET and he believed that such technical activities will be proven instrumental for students in the future.
The chief coordinator of the event Prof.Dr.Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry who is also serving as CHAIR IEE KARACHI SECTION, organized this workshop to acknowledge people about the cyber range and Malware protection so that they can acquire knowledge about Cyber Security. He also expressed his positive thoughts on IEEE for being the most vibrant engineering society worldwide. Prof stressed the students focus on life-building skills along with academic knowledge and technical skills. He considered communication, interaction, and confidence as important skills when a student becomes a part of the team/organization. As of today, students are facing a lot of challenges to kick-start their careers, he called patience, tolerance, and hard work as keys to success in connecting individuals to the right Industries.
The event was joined by a renowned guest speaker who delivered his keynote virtually, Dr. Thomas Newe, he received his Honors Degree in Computer Engineering in 1991. Following this, he worked as a senior software engineer with The Microelectronics Applications Centre (MAC), in Ireland. He was awarded his Ph.D. in 2003 from the University of Limerick for work on Formal Verification Logic for use in security protocol design.
He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering at the University of Limerick, group leader of the IoT/WSN Security activities in the Optical Fibre Sensors Research Centre (www.ofsrc.ul.ie) and the Centre for Robotics and Intelligent Systems (www.cris.ul.ie), a PI in Confirm (www.confirm.ie), and FI in the MaREI (www.marei.ie), and Lero (www.lero.ie) SFI National Research Centres.
A renowned guest Dr. Muzaffar Rao who is currently a Lecturer in the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Limerick (UL) conducted the workshop physically. He is also an Associated Investigator (AI) in ‘Lero – Irish Software Engineering’ and ‘CONFIRM – Smart Manufacturing research centers. He was awarded his Ph.D. in January 2017 from the University of Limerick. During his Ph.D., he worked on the hardware implementation of cryptographic algorithms/security protocols. His research interests include OT/ICS security, IT/OT integration, BitW (Bump-in-the-Wire) security, AI/ML in cybersecurity, IoTs & IIoTs, robotic automation, cyber-physical systems, and Embedded systems. His research work has resulted in several peer-reviewed publications at international conferences and Journals
He spoke about Cyber skills and the Cyber range that it is a virtual environment that allows organizations to practice cyber combat training. It’s a powerful way of replicating existing information systems to test and develop a skill set such as pen testing, network protection, system hardening, TTPs, and incident response. It is also a relevant means to raise awareness, especially among managers and board members, by showing them in a realistic manner what damages can be caused by ransomware attacks.
A successful workshop to spread awareness among the people about the cyber-attacks and how to stay protected from those attacks using the cyber range was attended by many students from different departments of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro (MUET). The Coordinators Dr.Abi Waqas Memon Chair of IEEE Karachi Section, Dr. Faheem Yar Khuhawar Associate Prof, TL, MUET. and the whole team managed to arrange such a wonderful event. A closing ceremony was arranged at the end in which all participants and volunteers were awarded certificates for their dedication. Tokens of appreciation were also presented to distinguished guests of the event.

Karachi IT Park is the largest IT project of its kind in Pakistan, claims Amin-ul-Haq, the Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication. His claim does indicate the growth of the widespread process of IT parks across Pakistan that not only offers professionals, especially the younger lot an opportunity to execute their ideas but also a way to improve the economy.
Karachi’s and Islamabad’s IT parks (costing Rs. 41 billion and Rs 13.72 billion respectively) are under construction which will create over 35,000 IT jobs.
Of them, Karachi IT Park is being tipped as a gateway for its innovation and it, as the minister reportedly claims will benefit not only the citizens of Karachi but also the IT professionals and companies of Sindh and the country.
IT Park, Karachi was approved by ECNEC in June 2021, at a capital cost of USD 186.658 million (including USD 158.416 million from Korean Exim Bank as a loan and PSDP local share of USD 28.242 million). The project, for which land has been acquired near Jinnah International, would be completed in June 2026.
The IT Park Karachi was an eleven-story (8 storeys above and 3 underground floors) self-contained building having a covered area of 106,449 square meters, a report said.
This Technology Park will provide office space to approx. 225 start-ups and small to medium enterprises and other ancillary facilities like testing laboratories, classrooms, industry-academia linkage centers, auditoriums, etc.
The government has invited the private sector to actively participate and play a frontline role to make the IT Park and other IT-related projects “big success stories.”
The foundation stone of IT Park in Islamabad was laid in Chak Shahzad on May 6 by Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque, fulfilling the “Digital Pakistan Vision.” The project would be completed in 30 months with a total cost of Rs 13.72 billion.
The park would not only mitigate the shortage of infrastructure for the IT sector but also facilitate technology transfer through industry and academia linkages, support technology commercialization, links tertiary education and production, and promote research and development; besides enhancing IT exports and industry competitiveness.
IT Park Islamabad would consist of a twelve-storey (two basements or ground floors plus 10 storeys) self-contained building having a covered area of 66,893 square meters.
Islamabad IT Park would initially provide office space to around 120 start-ups and small to medium enterprises and other ancillary facilities like testing laboratories, classrooms, industry-academia linkage center, auditorium, etc.
Currently, Pakistan has 15 software technology parks; three in Islamabad, two in Rawalpindi, eight in Lahore, and one each in Karachi and Gilgit.
Pakistan wants to establish software technology parks in small and big cities of country. Pakistan Software Export Board is working to establish software technology parks in Quetta, Gwadar, Faisalabad, Bannu, Swat, Mardan, Sukkur, and Hyderabad. Moreover, an IT Park for the University of Balochistan costing Rs 1 billion and the provision of fiber optic cable for Tehsil Wadh of District Khuzdar are under consideration. — ER

A high-profile delegation, led by CEO of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) Temel Kotil, called on Rector NUST Engr Javed Mahmood Bukhari at NUST last week.
Members of senior management from NUST also attended the meeting, which was aimed at exploring new avenues to strengthen collaboration between NUST and Turkey in areas such as joint research, the establishment of research facilities, student and faculty exchanges, academia-industry linkages, etc.
CEO TAI said that Pakistan being a brotherly country is our first preference for outreach. He also expressed his desire to recruit talented engineers and scientists from NUST to work on cutting-edge projects of TAI. Rector NUST remarked that NUST provides a comprehensive knowledge ecosystem based on a Quadruple Helix Model, where the presence of industrial R&D centers and labs like Turkish Aerospace Industries holds paramount importance.
Later, the guests visited the NUST School of Interdisciplinary Engineering & Sciences (SINES), where they were conducted at various labs, and apprised of robust and impactful research and innovative solutions churning out of the School that draws upon interdisciplinary strengths of NUST.

The 6th Technical Seminar of the year 2022, organized by Power Engineering Society (PES), IEEE, Karachi R10 was held at sunset club in mid-December 2022.
The topic of the seminar was “Condition Monitoring of Generators & Motors”. Ghulam Murtaza appeared as the presenter with a total of 22 participants in the moot
Condition Monitoring of large generators and motors is a very important tool in predictive maintenance for machines and plants.
By collecting and analyzing certain signals from motors/generators, etc. developing faults and inefficiencies can be identified, and unplanned downtime can be avoided.
Online Condition Monitoring is one type of Condition Monitoring that emphasizes the continuous monitoring of a machine or any production process.
Online Condition Monitoring is a non-interrupted process.
There is no word like ‘Shut-Down’ in Online Condition Monitoring.
Online Condition Monitoring helps the users to pre-estimate the cost of faults and figure out the level of the fault,
Condition monitoring systems provide important benefits from a financial, operational, and safety perspective.
Engr. Ishtiaq-ul-Haq, Chairman PES, IEEE, Karachi R10 chaired the seminar.