GIK Institute organizes Int’l collegiate programming contest

SWABI: Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology has organised the first International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) Asia West Finals in Pakistan.

Briefing mediapersons on Wednesday, Dr Masoor, Regional Director ICPC, said that a total of 67 teams from Pakistan, India, Iran, Bangladesh and Afghanistan were shortlisted for the contest while 58 could finally make it to the contest.

Four teams appeared in the contest from the ICPC Asia Topi Regional site, three of the teams being from Pakistan while one international team from Kateb University, Afghanistan, was also invited.

The teams from GIK Institute, Foundation for Advancement of Science and Technology, National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (FAST-NUCES), Karachi, and FAST-NUCES Islamabad represented Pakistan in the contest.

“The first prize in the final contest was bagged by University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The second prize was won by Indian Institute of Technology – Madras, India while

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology won the third prize. Team Pentateuch from GIK Institute and Team Trojans 1 from FAST-NUCES Karachi performed reasonably well solving multiple problems,” said Sarah Sajjad, Manager ICPC Pakistan.

Dr. Hussain said that for the first time a Pakistani team was able to solve a problem on an international level. Moreover, a Pakistani judge, Ayesha Siddiqa, Software Engineer, Noon Dubai Company, was selected as problem setter for the Asia West Contest. Earlier, this was predominated by India, Bangladesh and Iran.

Three Afghan students who participated in ICPC said that there was no alternative to education and only contemporary knowledge could change the destiny of war-ravaged Afghanistan.

Three students-Lalee Mohammad Mahdi, Farhadi Ali Tareq, Soltani Rahmat-led by an official Mohammad Qasim Hussaini participated in the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) Asia West Finals in GIK Institute.

Dr Masroor, said that in fact there was no dearth of talent in Afghanistan.

The other participants said that such gatherings help bring harmony among different nations, enabling them to work for peace and economic prosperity.