The Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed 'The Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan Bill, 2012' which had already been passed by the National Assembly. The Bill was moved by Federal Law Minister Farooq H. Naek. It will now go to the President for signature to become an act of parliament.
Objects and reasons of the Bill reads: "On independence, three separate and distinct offices ie the Trade Marks Registry, Copyright Office and Patent Office, for protection of Intellectual Property Rights existed in Karachi which worked under their respective Acts/Laws/ Rules, under the administrative control of different Ministries of Government of Pakistan.
"These offices worked under the Law/Rules framed in the British times and there was no effective co-ordination between the three separate offices. A need was, therefore, felt to integrate all the different offices, for protection of Intellectual Property Rights in Pakistan. "Accordingly, the Pakistan Intellectual Property Rights Organisation Ordinance was promulgated on April 8, 2005 under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division. Upon the commencement of the PIPRO Ordinance 2005, the Trade Marks Registry, Copyright Office and Patent Office were integrated and became part of the new Organisation under a unified and integrated management.
"Subsequently, several Ordinances were promulgated to give continuity to the Organisation and the last Ordinance (No XXXI of 2009) expired on 25th March, 2010. In order to continue establishment of the Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan for the protection of Intellectual Property Rights in Pakistan, the President was pleased to promulgate the IPO-Pakistan Ordinance, 2012 on 24th April, 2012.
By virtue of its membership to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Pakistan is also signatory to the agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The TRIPS agreement obligates the Government of Pakistan to ensure adequate protection of Intellectual Property Rights in the country for domestic and international rights, holders alike. "Failure to provide such protection can attract legal action against Pakistan in WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism. Therefore, the President was pleased to promulgate IPO Ordinance, 2012 which empowers the authority to bring the Trade Marks Registry, Patent Office and Copyright Office under one umbrella."
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