FAISALABAD - A seminar on” Intellectual Property Rights” was held in collaboration with the National Textile University, the Pakistan Scientific & Technology Information Centre and the Pakistan Science Foundation, Islamabad.
The seminar was chaired by Dr Muhammad Akram Sheikh, the director general of PASTIC, while Dr Niaz Ahmed, the rector NTU, was the chief guest on this occasion. Addressing the seminar, Dr Niaz Ahmed highlighted the significance of copy-rights protection, trademarks, geographical indicators and cyber & software related issues.
He elaborated the productive joint efforts of the PASTIC, PSF and NTU to work on intellectual property rights about which awareness and understanding should be spread among the business community.
The NTU rector further said that intellectual property was a vital factor in furthering creativity and invention as a driving force, and a simple way to explain it is to understand expressions about origin of products. He said that anybody who tries to copy a work without seeking permission takes benefit of the work and steals its creator or owner’s property without giving him any credit.
Mian Zahid Aslam, president of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry, in his address said that Pakistan was viewed as a country with weak intellectual property regime and it was indeed a big barrier to her trade. He said that once the intellectual property rights were strengthened, new economic players would automatically enter into the country’s investment arena.
He stressed the need for achieving these objectives after amending the existing legislation. The FCCI president said that an Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan has already been established as an excellent step towards enrichment of IP environment, demonstrating 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 was imperative, he added.
He said, “We should develop most suitable national IP culture at policy, planning and grassroots level. It 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, the director general of PASTIC, Mr Tariq Feroze, director general of IPO, A K Baloach, Dr.Tanveer Ahmed, Mushtaq Ahmed, Asima Tanvir Advocate, Umme Salma, Zahoor Ahmed and Muhammad Akeel Khan who presented research papers on ‘Intellectual Property’.