ISLAMABAD: The Commerce Ministry has assigned additional charge of Chairman Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO-P) to its Additional Secretary Dr Ahmed Mujtaba Memon.

Last week, Commerce Ministry Division briefed the cabinet that the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce. The primary task of the IPO-P was to take up all subjects and matters for integrated and efficient intellectual property management in the country.

Major functions of the organization include protection and strengthening of intellectual property (IP), management of all IP offices in the country, creating awareness about IP rights, advising the federal government on IP policy and ensuring effective enforcement of IP rights through designated IPR enforcement agencies.

Consequent upon expiry of contractual tenure of Mujeeb Ahmed Khan on June O3, 202L, the position of Chairman, IPO-P was lying vacant. The Ministry of Commerce had already started the process of appointment of new Chairman.

According to Commerce Ministry, section 9 of Inter-textual Property Organization of Pakistan Act, 2072, provides that "there shall be a chairman of the organization to be appointed by the Federal Government for a term of three years." Although, the process of appointing a new chairman, IPO-P was already under way at the Ministry of Commerce, however, completion of this process was expected to take some time.

The Commerce Ministry proposed that Dr. Ahmed Mujtaba Memon (BS-21), presently posted as Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce may be assigned additional charge of the post of chairman, IPO-P for a period of three months or till the appointment of a regular Chairman, whichever is earlier.

The Cabinet approved the summary of Commerce Ministry last week. Subsequently, Commerce Ministry has issued notification in this regard.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021