KARACHI, May 30: The losses to the government on account of intellectual property rights piracy (IPR) come to around Rs10 billion a year as the pirates, through their illegal business, evade taxes, besides bringing a bad name to the country and causing damage to the image of original brands.
This was observed by Mohammad Siddique, Additional Director (Training), Directorate of Training and Research, Customs, while speaking on Enforcement of IPR under the TRIPS agreement and the role of Customs on the second and last day of the national seminar on “Intellectual Property Rights Protection”.
The seminar was organised by the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) Laboratories Complex, Karachi.
Giving examples, Mr Siddique mentioned piracy and infringement of copyrights, software, motion pictures and musical compositions. Types of counterfeit and pirated goods seized the Customs included items of clothing, automobile parts, watches, toys and sports goods, pharmaceutical products, alcoholic drinks, perfumes and cosmetics, etc., he added.
He recounted the measures being taken by the government to check IPR piracy, pointing out that between 2004 and 2006, the law-enforcement agencies seized 301,200 CDs and DVDs. The achievement resulted in the removal of Pakistan’s name from the Priority Watch List of the US and also a four-year-old petition against Pakistan’s export. For the first time, a Pakistani company imported movies from America after acquiring proper copyrights for distribution in Pakistan on CDs.
Prof Mohammad Iqbal Bhanger, Director of the National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, spoke on Promoting scientific innovation in Muslim society and IPR. He said that the description of ownership was a western concept which was individualistic and considered IPR as a private right whereas in Islam, the rights over property was a social function which meant that the use of property must benefit not only the owner but also the society.
From Islamic viewpoint, he said, the inventor of a patent could either donate his invention to public or earn something from it. The first option was preferred as it benefited people at large, he added.
Project Director of the Patent Advisory Cell, PCSIR, Dr Shanaz Perveen, Industrial Liaison Officer of the Cell, Syeda Rumla Naqvi and Dr Syed Khawar Mehdi of Ali Assoicates also spoke on the occasion.
