Guide to Intellectual Property Rights Laws in Pakistan

Your intellectual property is one of your most valuable assets. Learn how to protect it properly to give your business a competitive advantage for years to come.

Intellectual property (IP) rights are one of the most valuable assets to any small business owner. Why is it that so few take the appropriate steps to protect their IP?

In the last decade, global giant Amazon has grown its patent portfolio from fewer than 1,000 active patents to nearly 10,000. To drive expansion, Amazon acquires any IP that threatens or supports their business goals. Understanding your intellectual property rights allows you to protect your business from the outset.

What is intellectual property?

The World Intellectual Property Organization defines intellectual property as creations of the mind or intellect, including inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, names and images used in commerce. Patent, copyright and trademark law all fall under the umbrella of intellectual property 

Copyright law protects the expression of your idea. Patent law protects the process and method of your concept, and trademark law protects the actual name and branding of your creation. IP law fosters an environment where creativity and innovation are incentivized, protecting the exclusive control of an intangible asset.

Why is understanding IP important?

Two of the most precious resources for small business owners are time and money. IP doesn’t often make the list of top concerns by smaller merchants. IP is something big companies need to worry about, not the small guys, right? Wrong.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office receives half a million applications each year. SMEs need to utilize IP ownership at an early stage to ensure the safety of their products or ideas. Similar to actual property, the amount of "land" available is limited, so plant your flag as soon as possible. Owning your IP helps you protect your innovations, guaranteeing more commercial opportunities in the future. It can even create a new source of revenue for your business by allowing you to license your goods and services to third parties

Patent, copyright and trademark law all fall under the umbrella of intellectual property in Pakistan.

Intellectual Property Laws in Pakistan:

• Copyright Ordinance, 196
• 2 Registered Designs Ordinance,
• 2000
• Registered Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits Ordinance, 2000
• Patents Ordinance, 2000 Trade Marks Ordinance, 2001
• Merchandise Marks Act, 1889 The Trade Marks (Invalidation and Summary Registration) Act, 1950
• The Electronic Transactions Ordinance, 2002 Sections relating to infringement of Trade, Property and Other Marks in the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860
• Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance, 2000

Punishment against Infringements of Intellectual Property:

Pakistan Penal Code provides punishment under sections 478 to 489 against infringement of trade, property and other marks. This shows both international and national ramification of IP laws. Owner of the exclusive licensee of copyrights in case of an infringement, are entitled to all such remedies by way of injunction, damages, accounts and otherwise as are conferred by law for the infringement of a right.

Office of Registration:

The Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) will be responsible for the management of this policy, including all activities regarding implementing, evaluation, patenting and providing drafting of patent applications, and licensing of new inventions and discoveries.

Ref: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (IP) POLICY