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ISLAMABAD:
The government is set to introduce a draft bill for Pakistan
intellectual property rights organization (Pipro) in Parliament
soon. The cabinet in its Wednesday meeting approved the
draft bill to set up Pipro paving the way to introduce
it in Parliament.
The
organisation is visualized as a single government agency
responsible for protection of all forms of intellectual
property rights including trade marks, copyrights and patents.
Resolving the issue that which ministry /division will
have organisation’s overall administrative responsibility,
the cabinet decided it would be placed under the administrative
control of the Cabinet Division.
Pipro’s
establishment was announced in 2002-03-trade policy following
foreign countries constant demand for curbing the menace
of piracy of various goods in Pakistan. It was aimed at
providing all the intellectual property rights requirements
under one organization, which are currently being provided
by three different ministries.
Officials
said Pakistan’s trade mission in Washington had also
communicated to the government that the environment for
enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPRS) in Pakistan
was a major issue of concern for investors in the United
States.
The
US has already placed Pakistan on super watch list, which
indicated a highest level of piracy of products in the
country. The major piracy was so far observed in computer
programmes, books and CDs.
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