International Customs Day: Customs bolstering recovery, renewal and resilience for the sustainable supply chain

TEXT: Customs, is celebrating The International Customs Day, along with the rest of the World, on 26 January 2021. In line with this year’s theme, the Directorate of IPRE is playing a critical role of facilitating free flow of legitimate imports, while keeping a check on counterfeit, fake products to bolster recovery, renewal and resilience for a sustainable supply chain.

The Intellectual Property protection and enforcement is a major tool for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI); and affects the country’s relations with major trade partners and the Generalized system of preferences (GSP) given to Pakistani exporters by them. In fact the Trade related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is one of the three pillars of WTO. Entrusted with a myriad of functions and responsibilities, our biggest and most immediate concern is health and safety hazards; which disrupt the chain supply and wreak havoc across the globe and to the planet as a whole. As responsible officers and a vigilant force, under the guidance and leadership of our Chairman, Member Customs, and Director General IPRE, we keep a check on regular flow of counterfeit products; and discourage such nefarious activities.

Due to high tariff rates, especially on all luxury items, like perfumes and toiletries, the department has witnessed a sudden surge in import of hazardous counterfeit products, making them available to the public at much cheaper rates; as well as import of empty cans and bottles of all famous brands. Curbing the menace of import/export of counterfeit products is an uphill task, but one against which we are all geared up, and vow to make a positive impact on the chain supply.

IPRE has striven hard to fulfill the vision and mission of World Intellectual Rights Organization (WIPO), by implementing key provisions of the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan) Act of 2012 and making huge seizures. Assigning foremost priority to consumer health and safety, most of these seizures are of counterfeit items including empty bottles, auto parts, tooth-pastes, toiletries, perfumes, watches, batteries, contraceptives, calculators and makeup products. The latest seizure was of counterfeit Auto Air bag covers, of vehicles, which are a cause of hundreds of fatal car accidents in Pakistan.

Despite of the onslaught of Covid 19, this Directorate, under the able leadership and guidance of Director General of IPRE, Madam Rubab Sikander, has also conducted meaningful public awareness, capacity building, and training programs, via zoom meetings and otherwise, to promote IP protection and enforcement in Pakistan. We are committed to fulfilling the mandate assigned to us in terms of border IPR controls. The IPRE South shall continue to work with its national & international stakeholders to make a success of it.

NYMA BATOOL, DIRECTOR IPR KARACHI

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021