Government urged to safeguard exports of indigenous products

'The Government should take serious steps to safeguard the exports of Pakistani indigenous products initiate registration of geographical indications (GIs) as Certification Marks by the competent authority (TDAP) to secure our traditional indigenous products, otherwise clash of interest amongst various stakeholders would largely affect the exports of these items.'
The President, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Anjum Nisar said. In a letter written to the Federal Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Suleman Ghani, he drew the Ministry's attention towards the promulgation of GIs Law and establishment of GI registry in Pakistan.
In the relevant context, while highlighting that India had previously promulgated GI Law and has established GI registry, he lamented that India had already registered and notified Pakistan's well known variety of 'Super Basmati' as their own variety of rice.
Besides, many other products and produces were under registration process in India that the neighbour may claim internationally as their own. He focused that in Pakistan draft Bill on GIs was still awaiting to be promulgated and implemented, though it was already approved by the stakeholders' meetings called by the intellectual Property Organisation (IPO).
He apprehended that if the draft bill is delayed further and the government delays appropriate action to implement and promulgate the GI Law, the exports of Pakistan's traditional indigenous products vis-à-vis Pakistani Basmati, Sindhri Mango, Chaunsa Mango, Hala Furniture handicraft and many other products would be seriously affected.
Further, the KCCI President stated that in Pakistan, applications to register 'Basmati' as GI were filed by private sector but due to clash of interest, these two applicants are now fighting in the Sindh High Court to establish their ownership.
He asserted that in order to avoid confrontation amongst the stakeholders for other GIs, it was appropriate that the government may secure these GIs through their competent authority like Trade Development Authority Pakistan (TDAP). It is worth mentioning that India had already initiated registration of 'Basmati' GI through their Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). There were many other countries in the world, where GIs had been registered by their governments, he added.