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PESHAWAR, Aug 22 (APP):Chairman of the Intellectual Property Organization (IPO)-Pakistan, Ambassador (Retd) Farukh Amil here Friday emphasized the pivotal role of intellectual property (IP) rights in the country’s economic growth, calling for their inclusion in the national curriculum to raise mass awareness and educate future generations.
Speaking to the media after presiding over a stakeholders’ meeting at the IPO Pakistan Office in Peshawar, Ambassador Farukh Amil highlighted the importance of IP protection in today’s digital age.
He urged companies, businesses and entrepreneurs to register their trademarks and logos to safeguard their innovations and boost profitability.
“Registering intellectual property protects businesses from counterfeiting and encourages innovation,” he said, adding that proper IP management can significantly enhance brand value and deter infringement.
Ambassador Amil also noted the vast potential of geographically-indicated (GI) products across Pakistan, citing examples like the Peshawari Chapal of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said such regional specialties, when protected through GI tagging, could substantially increase their market value and contribute to provincial revenues.
As part of a national awareness campaign, the IPO Chairman shared that he has visited 53 universities across all provinces to educate students and faculty about IP rights, international treaties, and the use of IP tools such as copyrights, patents, trademarks, and GIs.
He informed that IPO Pakistan has established dedicated tribunals in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, and Quetta to adjudicate IP-related civil and criminal disputes. The opening of an IPO office in Peshawar reflects the organization’s commitment to strengthening IP rights enforcement across the country.
Ambassador Amil also noted that IPO Pakistan allows online registration of complaints, which are then investigated and forwarded to law enforcement agencies such as the police and FIA for action under the IPO Act 2012.
IPO Pakistan operates as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, responsible for overseeing the administration of IP laws, coordinating the enforcement and management of all IP offices in the country.
Earlier, during the meeting, the IPO Chairman briefed participants, including entrepreneurs, legal experts and civil society representatives, on Pakistan’s current IP framework and discussed strategies for enhancing IP protection nationwide.
The participants thanked IPO Pakistan Chairman for his valuable and foresight discussion and support to the stakeholders of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.