LAHORE, June 16: Pakistan needs to take measures for the protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in order to woo much-needed foreign investment.

This was stated by an Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) official at a press briefing here on Monday.

The briefing was organized to discuss in length the problem of copyrights violation and the threat it poses to creative people.

OICCI (IPR sub-committee) chairman Hasan Ali Khan spoke on the IPR violations and said little or nothing had so far been done to eliminate the menace in Pakistan.

“This state of affairs is eroding Pakistan’s credibility which was not good for the economy,” he said.

Jawad Rehman spoke on software piracy, saying it was promoting a negative image of the country. “As a result of this piracy, the country has failed to make any real development in the IT sector. Pakistan’s software products are not recognized internationally.”

He said Pakistan must let the world at large know that “it was committed to eliminate piracy and take steps for implementing the existing copyrights ordinance”.

A speaker said several publishers were taking an “advantage of weak copyright laws and rigging profits through book piracy which deprives writers and developers of their rightful share”.

Painter Saleema Hashmi and singer Ustad Hamid Ali Khan spoke on art and music piracy.

IPRs expert Advocate Hasan Irfan Khan discussed legal aspect of intellectual property rights. He said the judiciary should play a more active role by punishing those involved in piracy.