Intellectual Property Organisation (IPO) of Pakistan Hameedullah Jan Afridi has said that a series of activities have been planned for implementation during the next year, while the process of developing the infrastructure of IPO is in process and all possible efforts are being made to improve the service delivery mechanism and capacity building of officials. According to press release issued on Wednesday, Afridi, while talking to a delegation of notables, said Intellectual Property (IP) was critical for a competitive economy in the backdrop of ongoing globalisation. “Sustainable economic growth now depends largely on hi-tech research and development base and efficient knowledge input. The new concept of IP-based nation is gaining ground because it enables technology creation and transfer by providing an enabling environment,” Afridi added.
He cited the sale of pirated optical discs as a grave issue, which needed to be addressed accordingly, and said besides redrafting the IPO ordinance special emphasis was made to improve coordination among the enforcement agencies for an ineffective control on manufacturing and sale of pirated material. “We have to adopt appropriate measures on an emergency basis to place rapid growth mode of Pakistan economy, enabling environment for investment attraction, market access requirement of Pakistan’s export-led growth strategy, fast-track integration with global economy, market expansion for genuine businesses in Pakistan, consumer interest in terms of competitive quality and price and country’s business image as a whole.”
He further said the government had given due priority to the IP rights and the prime minister placed IPO directly under his own supervision by attaching it with the Cabinet Division so that matters pertaining to enforcement of related laws could be resolved in an effective manner.
Afridi further said IPO Pakistan had undertaken a number of organizational, administrative and functional initiatives to upgrade the institutional infrastructure and afford necessary capacity building opportunities in order to reform, restructure and reorganise the intellectual property management in Pakistan. “IPO-Pakistan’s Enforcement Coordination Initiative has not only achieved effective linkages with the public sector enforcement authorities but also with the private sector investigation agencies engaged in detection of IP infringements. This coordination is deepening and expanding very fast. Once this initiative finds synergy, the market space for piracy and counterfeiting will start shrinking,” he added.
