During its discussion on electronic filing for patents, copyrights, and designs, the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce chastised the cumbersome procedure, raising data security issues and recommending more effective financial transfers using platforms like Pay Zen rather than Memorandums of Understanding.
Under the direction of Senator Anusha Rahman, the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce met for the second day of its inaugural sessions on Thursday at Parliament House. The purpose of the meetings was to compile reports on the performance and activities of the Ministry of Commerce and its related organizations.
The Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO) Director-General gave a briefing to start off the session on Thursday. The Chairman questioned the smooth operation of the meetings in his absence due to his official trip to Gilgit and voiced concern that crucial briefings could not take place without him. The IPO was described as having four main functions: intellectual property law registration, IP enforcement, coordination, and promotion. It also provides policy advice to the government on IP matters.
The committee was provided with updates regarding Pakistan’s entry into international intellectual property agreements, including the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaty, the Berne Convention on copyrights, and the World Trade Organization’s Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement, and the Marrakesh Treaty, which made published works easier for blind people to access.
Inquiring about IPO’s progress in expediting the registration of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), Senator Anusha Rahman expressed concerns on the long registration period of 18–24 months and accessibility challenges for lawyers, even though the organization claims to have gone digital. Approximately 3000 cases have been registered using the online system, and the registration process was demonstrated online. The entire digitalization of the system is expected to happen in two years.
The committee was informed that Pakistan’s IP rating in the Global Innovation Index has improved, moving up from 119th in 2016 to 88th in 2023. According to the USTR Special 301 Report 2023, there was also an improvement in compliance with IPR norms, which led to Pakistan’s transfer from the Priority Watch List to the Watch List.
The Chairman also went into great length on the difficulties IPO is having filling positions, voicing concerns about the high number of open positions that negatively impacts organizational effectiveness. Legislative changes have left 136 seats empty, and the committee has been told of this. It has been instructed to appoint new members to these positions within three months and to submit progress reports.
Sen. Anusha Rahman voiced her disapproval of the cumbersome process during talks on electronic filing for patents, copyrights, and designs. She brought up issues with data security and argued in favor of faster transactions using platforms like Pay Zen rather than memorandums of understanding for financial transactions.
The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) also briefed the committee, outlining the TDAP Act of 2013 and the make-up of its board, which includes representatives from several sectors. It was mentioned how TDAP is pursuing international exhibitions and market diversification strategies, like the Look Africa plan and partnerships with Saudi Arabia and China.
Senator Rahman placed a strong emphasis on supporting female businesses and newcomers to the market as well as advancing the pharmaceutical trade. On January 30, a seminar on export preparedness and access to US markets was held in Lahore in association with USAID, with the goal of encouraging women’s entrepreneurship.A list of businesses that have participated in foreign shows in the last year was requested by the chairman.
The Director General of Trade Organizations (DGTO) briefed the committee on the functions and activities of the company. According to the DGTO, the organization’s main responsibilities are chamber elections and trade organization regulation. Trade associations are also granted renewals by DGTO. which take place every five years.
The committee also examined how the Export Development Fund (EDF) was run. Enhancing exports and investing in industries that have the potential to grow the nation’s export volume are two of EDF’s core missions, according to the organization’s executive director. EDF uses the 0.25 percent it earns from all exports to finance its operations and promote exports.
The committee expressed concerns regarding the hiring of EDF executives and recommended that a transparent and competitive hiring process be used. EDF clarified that although it originally turned over its funds to the Federal Consolidated Fund, it is now permitted to keep them in a publicly accessible account following an agreement with the Finance Ministry.
EDF’s revenue for the previous year was 16 billion rupees. The committee recommended that EDF develop a strategy and identify three to five major projects with the goal of bringing about long-term economic benefits for the nation.
The committee also expressed worry about the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company’s (PHDEC) CEO’s prolonged absence. Human resources are a critical component that can influence an organization’s performance, according to Senator Anusha Rahman, and the PHDEC Board ought to have completed the recruitment of a CEO by now.
In addition, the National Tariff Commission (NTC) Chairman informed the committee. According to the NTC Chairman, the organization’s main duties include advising the government on tariff reforms and serving as a bulwark against foreign exporters or businesses that undercut their prices on the Pakistani market by dumping goods that are more expensive in their home nations.
For improved readability and comprehension, these edits fix grammatical problems, enhance sentence structure, and clarify a few points. It was noted that the Minister of Commerce chairs the Tariff Board, and the Chairman of FBR is a member, during the National Tariff Commission’s briefing on board policy.
The committee voiced worry over the Chairman of FBR’s refusal to accept the National Tariff Commission’s recommendations, even in spite of the participation of important board members. They proposed incorporating the national tariff policy structure into tax and customs regulations and advised that it be institutionalized through a legal document. They also suggested setting up meetings with legal advisors to talk more about this issue.
Senators Sarmad Ali, Amir Waliuddin Chisti, and Muhammad Tallal Badar attended the meeting, along with other senior representatives from the Ministry of Commerce and related departments. The committee decided to get back together on Friday.
