KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to activate the Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in order to ensure proper check and balance on import of publications from different countries and to make the Department more effective in this regard.
According to details, the authorities concerned of FBR in the month of August, last year has given the charge of Director General (DG) IPR to Rubina Athar in order to make the working of Pakistan Customs more efficient with the collaboration of trade bodies.
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Later, Rubina Athar took charge as Director General-Customs Valuation and the Directorate General of IPR was remained without Chief, while IbrahimVighio, Director, Directorate General of Transit Trade has still an additional charge of Director –IPR.
It may be mentioned here that the then DG-Directorate of IPR Rubina Athar was also made 3-day visit to Karachi in the month of August-2014 for holding meetings with the different stakeholders belonging to trade and business community.
Rubina Athar was held meetings with the members of IPR committee of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), members of Overseas Investment Chambers of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) and other stakeholders including American Business Council, Pakistan Software Houses Association, Pakistan Book Publisher Association and the office-bearers of IPR Practitioners’ office and discussed the working scenario.
Subsequently, the Pakistan Customs and FBR authorities have not yet made any significant step in order to evolve and make the Directorate General of IPR more effective.
Sources informed Customs Today that the FBR authorities now have decided to make the Directorate General of IPR fully operational and assign a new Director General for the Directorate of IPR.
