ISLAMABAD - Chairman Intellectual Property Organisation (IPO) Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi said that passage of IPO bill from National Assembly is a landmark in the history of IPO-Pakistan, as the organisation has got legal entity after seven years since its inception in 2005.
The National Assembly of Pakistan has passed IPO-Pakistan Bill 2012 on Monday. All the clauses of the bill were reviewed in the session and after debate and some queries raised by an opposition member the house unanimously gave approval of the bill.
Talking to media at the Parliament House, Chairman IPO said that passage of bill would be honored Pakistan in 185 Member Countries of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and after getting legal protection of IP Rights the local as well as foreign investors would be encouraged to invest in Pakistan. He also appreciated the efforts of international community, WIPO and EU for extending support for capacity building of the stakeholders and managing consultation process to deliberate the proposed ordinance of IPO before its presentation Cabinet and National Assembly.
He said that this initiative would provide an opportunity to ensure strict compliance of IP Laws with the objective to prevent counterfeiting and piracy in the country. He said that after the passage of IPO bill 2012 from parliament, new Regional Offices of IPO would be opened in KPK and Baluchistan besides establishing IP Tribunals for speedy trials of cases relating to IP Rights.
He said a Policy Board of IPO would also be constituted for strengthening IP structure in the country while new service rules for the employees of IPO would also be drafted after the enactment of IPO Bill.
Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi expressed his gratitude to Parliament, Ministry of Law and Cabinet Division for their support in connection with passage of IPO Bill 2012.