ISLAMABAD, Aug 21: The government has yet to finalise the law for protecting the ownership rights of goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess a quality, reputation, or other characteristic which is due to that place.

Informed sources told Dawn on Monday that a draft law on geographical indications (GIs) had been lying with the government since 2000. "This draft has since been vetted many times by the relevant authorities but no action had been taken in this regard,” the sources added.

The sources said that the government had already established Intellectual Property Rights

Organisation (IPRO) for legislation of similar kinds of law to provide protection to the local products in the international market.

"The organisation was just exchanging files from one ministry to another", the sources said and added “no action was taken except holding of seminars on the issue".

Pakistan may lose ownership rights of hybrid variety of super basmati rice if it does not finalise the law promptly, the sources warned.

“Pakistan has to enact the law to register the super basmati as local GI which will provide our policymakers legal grounds to contest the issue of super basmati with India at any international forum,” added the sources.

The proposed law could also provide protection not only to rice but also to other products like apricot, Peshawari chappal, Multani halva, Hala ki ajrak, Sargodha’s kinnoo, Kasuri methi, Sindhri mango, Dir ke chakoo (knives), wild mushrooms of Swat, Neeli Ravi buffalo, Chaman grapes etc.

WTO members need to give protection to GIs under article 22-24 of the TRIPs agreement. Unless Pakistan provides GI protection to its goods by its law, Islamabad could not obtain GI protection for its goods in other countries that have the GI law.

The separate law would make Pakistan capable of filing such applications in other countries to protect its various GIs in those countries.

The sources proposed preparing a list of all GI goods that might exist in Pakistan and those which might need and qualify for the GI protection.

It was also proposed to set up a GI registry at Lahore or Karachi and appointment of an officer of the government as registrar, besides sub-registrars and assistant registrars as necessary for its prime office and sub-offices.