Intellectual Property Enforcement (IPE) has objectives to deter access to counterfeit and pirated goods that can harm consumers; to ensure that the interests of IP rights holders are protected; and to promote IP protection and enforcement as imperative for economic development in the country.
IZYANLAW & ASSOCIATES is one of the leading IP laws firms in Pakistan with its network spread across Pakistan rendering Intellectual Property Enforcement Services to its clients proficiently and efficiently.
In today’s competitive world it is important to ensure that the Companies are protected from any degrading reputation to their brand names specifically in terms of counterfeiting. Counterfeiting and theft of one’s brand name and products is one of the major problems faced by the Companies all around the world especially in Pakistan. Pakistan is the 6th most populous country of the world and is large consumer market but it has massive record of infringement/counterfeit of the rights pertaining to trademark, patent, design and copyrights. Obviously, this causes a lot of problems for the Companies in terms of their goodwill and reputation as the consumers tend to get confused and may associate the fake brand name with Original.
IP LAW ENFORCEMENT IN PAKISTAN
ZAFAR & ASSOCIATES – LLP is one of the nation’s leading IP law firms focused on a full-service IP practice with a network spreading across Pakistan rendering Anti-Counterfeiting, Enforcement and Brand Protection services in both four-wall and digital counterfeiting sectors to its international and local clients.
We closely and methodically work with our clients to enhance effective anti-counterfeiting programs that help combating misappropriation / brand piracy issues due to the invasion of the “clones” and “knock-offs” at the market place or on the dot com portals.
We help assist companies / brands to design strategies to combat manufacturing and sales of grey marketing and work holistically on proactive anti-counterfeiting solutions as the paradigm of risk has shifted from predictable to hi-tech online businesses as well.
We have developed and successfully implemented comprehensive plans while understanding the world intimately, for the prevention and elimination of the contextual nature of counterfeiting involving B2B and B2C sites together with the help of conjoining law enforcement regime. We have done it, and done it well.
COUNTERFEITING OF TRADEMARKS AND COPYRIGHTS IN PAKISTAN
By way of controlling of infringement/counterfeit, we render following services to our clients.
CRIMINAL REMEDIES
- Identifying the infringers and counterfeiters
- Issuance of a legal / warning notices to the infringers / counterfeiters and publication of such notices in the press.
- Conducting raids, searches and site visits to discover the knock-offs / counterfeits in order to provide the clients and the law enforcement with the full picture of the ongoing operations of the counterfeiters, with the help of the appropriate law enforcement agencies.
- Monitoring the parallel imports and grey market goods in collaboration with the Inland Customs Authorities. We then follow up with importers to seek forfeiture of the goods and also keep frequent checks on social sites to locate the sources of the sales of fake products.
- In case of violation of IP rights; take legal action with concerned law enforcement agencies i.e. Police / Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Custom authorities.
- Lodging of F.I.R against the infringers/counterfeiters before appropriate department.
- Seizure and confiscation of counterfeit goods / products and seizure of premises where applicable.
- Post raid proceedings i.e. contesting of bail and conducting the trial before the Court till final decision.
CIVIL REMEDIES
- Filing of Civil suits, obtaining injunctive or stay order against the infringers / counterfeiters and recovery of damages etc. before Intellectual Property Tribunal (IPO Tribunal) and or before Higher Courts.
- Filing of complaint before Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) for deceptive marketing / trade malpractices.
- Filing of Appeals before appropriate appellate forums i.e. Higher or Superior Courts against the order passed by IPO Tribunal and CCP.