ISLAMABAD: Director-General Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement IPRE Dr. Arslan Subuctageen said that during current financial year the IPRE has made Rs187 million cases against counterfeit goods in violation of Section 15 of the Customs Act, 1969 and SRO 170(1)/2017 dated 16.03.2017 (Rule 678-686).
During an exclusive interview with Customs Today, he said that Directorate General Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement (IPRE) of Customs could keep check on consignments at import and export stage on complaint of reliable sources. He added that IPRE works for promotion of communications and risk assessment as well as the IPRE represents FBR and Pakistan Customs as National Contact Point for WCO (World Customs Organization).
Talking on revenue impact he said that 26% increase witnessed in import of Mortein in 2017-18 as compared to 2016-17 (after 1 seizure) while 450% increase in import of Durex in 2017-18 as compared to 2016-17 (after 4 seizures), adding that 400% increase recorded in import of Toshiba Cells in 2017-18 as compared to 2016-17 (after 3 seizures).
Replying to a query about destruction of confiscated counterfeit goods, he said that first Destruction of Confiscated Counterfeit Goods was conducted on 16-01-2019 where miscellaneous goods including watches, soaps, sprays and creams worth Rs 20 million were destroyed while the Second Destruction of Confiscated Counterfeit Goods was conducted on 25-04-2019 where miscellaneous goods including watches, soaps, sprays, creams etc worth Rs 90 million were destroyed.
Answering another query, Dr Arslan said that DG IPRE has taken various initiatives during 2017-2019. IPRE activated WeBOC IDs as well as arranged capacity building trainings on IPR at DGTR Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad while it established first IPR Gallery in Karachi and Islamabad whereas Directorate of IPRE conducted seminar on subjects of Inter-agency Coordination on 10th January 2019 at Islamabad and the other seminar on IPR was arranged on 26th January 2019 at Karachi.
Answering another query, he said that the dept is trying to improve Pakistan’s IPR global ranking and enhance collaboration with national and international organisations like IPO, FPCCI, WIPO, WTO, WCO, etc.
