ISLAMABAD, May 6: An effective implementation of the Pakistan Intellectual Property Rights Organization (PIPRO) would help attract greater investment in innovative industries. This was stated by Deputy US Trade Representative Josette Sheeran Shiner in a statement issued here on Friday by the American Embassy in Islamabad.

The deputy trade representative welcomed Pakistan’s recent efforts to strengthen its protection of intellectual property rights through administrative reform and aggressive enforcement.

“Strong protections for copyrights, trademarks and patents have proven a winning strategy for economic growth and development,” Shiner said in the statement. “Steps like these will no doubt help Pakistan attract greater investment in innovative industries.”

Pakistan has created a central government agency, PIPRO, to oversee copyright, trademark and patent protection issues. In addition, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) this week made nine arrests; seized over 100,000 pirated compacts discs (CDs), videos and cassettes; and shut down six illegal duplication facilities.

“We welcome two steps recently taken by Pakistan to improve intellectual property rights protection. First it has created an organization — PIPRO — to consolidate authority over trademarks, patents, and copyrights in one government body. Second, the FIA’s attempt of arrest and seizure of pirated discs,” added the announcement.