ISLAMABAD: While the enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) rules has been a challenge in Pakistan, the United States has offered technical assistance and training to the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to ensure strict implementation of IPRs law.
At a meeting of the IPR Enforcement Coordination Committee held at Intellectual Property Organisation (IPO-Pakistan) on Thursday, the representatives of US Embassy in Pakistan showed their readiness to extend the required training and assistance for effective enforcement of IPRs.
The objective of the joint meeting was to discourage counterfeiting and piracy practices in the country, an official of IPO told Pakistan Today.
The meeting chaired by IPO-Pakistan Executive Director Meesaq Arifwas attended by the officials from Pakistan Customs, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Islamabad Police, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).
An insider claimed theUS embassy officials had informed that a leading pharmaceutical company of their country was presently facing a court battle in Pakistan as someone had registered the company’s products and names illegally.
The foreign firm who wished to start business in Pakistan was surprised to know that the same product, name and logo were already registered illegally in Pakistan.
Embassy officials Economic Counselor Peggy J Walker and Economic Affairs Officer Michael D Boven complained that the existing legal system was lengthy and expensive to provide remedies to an affected company.
The IPO Pakistan officials, however, assured the embassy representatives that the case would be examined and all facilities would be provided to the firm as per the law.
According to sources, US embassy officials on the other hand appreciated the efforts made by LEAs and IPO Pakistan in combating the menace of piracy and counterfeiting.
They also lauded the digitalized systems of Customs and FIA for the enforcement of IPRs.
However, a police representative informed the meeting that it lacked the required technical expertise and facilities to counter illegal business in the country, sources, said and added it was decided later that the US embassy would arrange joint technical training for police, FIA and other LEAs.
According to IPO officials, Arif said that IPO-Pakistan, an attached department of the Ministry of Commerce, was fully aware of the importance of IPR enforcement and that was why it was following a proactive approach in overcoming enforcement issues.
He said that due to close coordination between IPO-Pakistan and LEAs, enforcement meetings have been organised in 10 different cities from time to time.
He informed the meeting that IPO-Pakistan was going to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) for better coordination.
The committee termed counterfeiting and piracy a crime against innovation and creativity and expressed the resolve that the issue would be dealt relentlessly and all out efforts would be made for the development of genuine businesses in the country.
The US embassy appreciated the efforts of IPO-Pakistan and LEAs in the field of enforcement and offered technical support to further improve their performance. The DRAP representative was of the view that instead of individual training, collective training will be more beneficial for all the LEAs.
Highly appreciated Sir Ghulam Abbas Khaksar