ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Intellectual Property Organisation (IPO) Pakistan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for data sharing and further cooperation as required in the areas of common regulatory and supervisory interests as well as furtherance of their operational objective.
The MOU was signed by Director General IPO-Pakistan Engineer, Aamir Hasan and Director General IPR Enforcement FBR, Imtiaz Ahmad Khan. FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa and other senior officials of both organisations were also present in the MoU signing ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Bajwa said that the FBR was committed for effective border measures to simplifying the revenue collection system to enhance tax compliance in country. He said Pakistan Customs was the guardian of Pakistan’s borders against movement of contra band goods and is a facilitator of bona fide trade. “It provides a major source of revenue to the Government of Pakistan in the form of taxes levied on the goods traded across the borders” he added.
The FBR chairman said it also helps to protect the domestic industry and movement of genuine goods through borders. Customs and Regulatory duties amount up to 15 percent of the total receipts collected by the Federal Board of Revenue, he remarked. Chairman FBR lauded the arrangement with IPO-Pakistan regarding recordation of IPR data that will help not only to detect original and fake consignments but also provide an opportunity to genuine exporters and importers to register with FBR for protection of their businesses.
He said FBR through its enforcement arm Pakistan Customs is responsible for border measures including eradication of piracy and counterfeiting through Pakistani Borders. Tariq Bajwa said both the Organisations recognize the need for mutual cooperation and coordination to effectively carry out their respective statutory responsibilities. He stressed for maintaining the highest level of oversight in IPR enforcement, in line with the government’s policy of trade facilitation and the imperatives of compliance with international treaties.
Addressing the signing ceremony, IPO-Pakistan Chairman Shahid Rashid said that IPO-Pakistan has close collaboration with IPR Enforcement agencies including FBR to effectively address issues of piracy and counterfeiting in the country. He said that IPO-Pakistan is the focal body of Federal Government for registration and protection of IP rights including Copyrights, Trademarks, Patens and Industrial designs. He said that signing of this MOU with FBR was a milestone towards relentless enforcement drive at our borders.
IPO-Pakistan was working to make such type of arrangements with other enforcement agencies for development of genuine businesses in the country, he added. This MOU is not limited to share of data between two Organisations but it will also open doors for creating awareness and imparting training about intellectual property issues and taking such other actions, he added.
