FPCCI slams govt for not implementing protection laws

KARACHI: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has expressed concerns on government’s ignorance over protection laws, which was drafted 15 years ago to prevent monetary losses to Pakistani goods in the international markets.

In a statement issued on Friday, the FPCCI said that Geographical Indication Protection Law was drafted in 2001 but it was not implemented so far. “Absence of Geographical Indication Protection law has created millions of rupees loss to Pakistan’s economy in term of not fetching good prices of Pakistani products from international market,” Shaikh Khalid Tawab, senior vice president said in the statement. 

He said that neighboring India implemented the law in 2003 and since then has protected 220 products while Central and South American region has protected 400 products; even African region has registered a product through geographical indication.

He said that Pakistan is facing tough competition from India due to common history and civilization and in past Pakistan has lost the market of basmati rice due to geographical indication while India has gained maximum market access including due share of Pakistan.

Geographical Indication is a form of intellectual property right, which identifies a product originating from a specific area, whose quality or reputation is attributable to its place of origin which helps in stable earning of exports.

The apex trade body of the country said that the country had diverse geography, climate, soil, culture and traditions and many of our products related to agriculture and manufacturing sector are qualifying for protection as geographical indications.