A Joint Seminar on "Intellectual Property Rights" was held in collaboration with National Textile University, Pakistan Scientific and Technology Information Centre and Pakistan Science Foundation, Islamabad. The Seminar was chaired by Dr Muhammad Akram Sheikh, Director General, PASTIC, while Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed, Rector, NTU was Chief Guest on this occasion.
Addressing the Seminar, Dr Niaz Ahmed, highlighted in detail the significance of copyrights protection, Trade Marks and Geographical Indicators, Cyber and Software related Issues and elaborated in detail the productive joint efforts of the PASTIC, PSF and NTU to work on Intellectual Property Rights which needed more awareness and understanding among the business community.
NTU Rector further said that Intellectual Property is a vital factor in furthering creativity and invention as a driving force in a knowledge-based economy and simply the way to explain. IP is to understand expressions about origin of Products. He said that anybody who tries to copy your work without seeking the permission is benefiting from your hard work and stealing your IP without any credit to you.
He said that owing to emergence of information and communication techniques, ie, Internet, which define boundaries of intellectual property and added that the Technology has advanced to a stage where precious copyright codes are no longer fit. Prominent Speaker, Mian Zahid Aslam, President, Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry(FCCI) in his address said that Pakistan is viewed as a Country with weak Intellectual Property Regime and it is indeed a big barrier to our Trade.
He said that once the Intellectual Property Rights are strengthened, new economic players will automatically enter into our Investment Arena such as Innovators, Researchers and development in all sectors including IT, Biotechnology, publication houses and similar industries will be mobilising. He stressed the need for achieving these objectives after amending the existing Legislation and to strictly enforce it accordingly.
The FCCI President said that an Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan has Already been established which is indeed an excellent step towards enrichment of IP environment as it demonstrates that the government is ready to change the face of existing IP Environment in Pakistan. However, it needs to be further developed and an IP Culture and focus on national IP strategy is imperative. He said that we should develop most suitable national IP culture both at policy, planning and the grass-roots level which is a powerful tool for our economic, social and cultural development. He said that it should be effective, affordable and easily accessible to all stakeholders including individuals and Small and Medium Enterprises.
The Seminar was also addressed by Muhammad Akram Sheikh, Director General PASTIC, Tariq Feroze, Director General IPO, A.K.Baloach Pro-Rector, University of Faisalabad, Dr Tanveer Ahmed, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Mushtaq Ahmed, Senior Librarian, NTU, Asima Tanvir Advocate, High Court, Umme Salma, IPO Islamabad, Zahoor Ahmed IPO Lahore, Muhammad Akeel Khan who presented Research Papers on Intellectual Property. Mian Farhan Latif, former MNA, also participated in the Seminar.