ISLAMABAD: Lack of support from the relevant provincial departments has undermined the performance of Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan as well as enforcement of copyrights laws in the country.

IPO-Pakistan is an attached department of Ministry of Commerce, but it lacks the required human resource, facilities and technology to address around 3,000 pending complaints related to illegal usage of registered brand names, logos or monograms by other companies, that amounts to infringement of law.

An official of the organisation said that intellectual property rights (IPRs) protect creations, inventions resulting from intellectual activity in the industrial, scientific, literary or artistic fields.

“However the most common IPRs include patents, copyrights, marks and trade secrets, but when somebody copies the trademark or logo etc the cause multiple damages to the company and the overall economy of the country,” the official added.

The official said that due to weak copyright laws most of the companies do not flourish to make a name in the industry as many products of same name and logo start flooding the market, this discourages the genuine investor.”

The IPO-Pakistan has to depend on district administrations and local police to ensure enforcement of IP laws, but the police and the deputy commissioner offices are busy in many issues mostly related to security and law and order.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

Al Qadir ruling
Updated 18 Jan, 2025

Al Qadir ruling

One wonders whether the case is as closed as PTI’s critics would have one believe.
Atlantic tragedy
18 Jan, 2025

Atlantic tragedy

AS reports emerge of another migrant boat sinking — this time in the Atlantic off the coast of Western Sahara — ...
Cheap promises?
18 Jan, 2025

Cheap promises?

TALK is cheap. Can electricity also be? The government has recently announced that Pakistan will benefit from the...
Never again
Updated 17 Jan, 2025

Never again

The Gaza genocide has also revealed the utter helplessness of the Palestinian Authority in projecting Palestine’s case globally.
World Bank loan
17 Jan, 2025

World Bank loan

THAT the World Bank will give $20bn to Pakistan in the next 10 years to address some of the country’s most acute...
India’s dangerous game
17 Jan, 2025

India’s dangerous game

THE latest inflammatory remarks by India’s military brass about Pakistan mark a troubling departure from the...