Make Copyright Board functional in three weeks: SHC

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Thursday ordered the joint secretary, Ministry of Commerce, and the secretary, Ministry of Law, to ensure that the Copyright Board was made functional in three weeks. The court observed that the failure to establish the board for the past five years was 'bad governance'.

During the proceeding before a division bench of Justice Zafar Rajput and Justice Faisal Kamal, a constitutional petition bearing No 5252 of 2021 was being heard, where the petitioner was aggrieved that the Copyright Board had not been functional for the last five years.

The petitioner, being represented by senior lawyers of Ali & Associates, Mirza Mehmood Baig and Ms Hanya Haroon, stated that in the absence of the Copyright Board, which is an appellate authority, a substantial number of matters of utmost importance, remain unattended.

The High Court, while taking strict cognizance of the matter, had previously ordered the secretary of Ministry of Law and the secretary of the Ministry of Commerce to be present in the court, in person and explain the delay in the establishment of the Copyright Board.

However, during the hearing on 18-11-2021, their failure to provide any reasonable justification deeply concerned the bench and the judges had observed that it was an example of ‘bad governance’. They granted three weeks to ensure that the board was made functional.

Talking to the media after the hearing, the lawyers of Ali & Associates stated that the issue of the Copyright Board being non-functional for the last over five years was a travesty of justice for all legitimate businesses and also damaged Pakistan’s reputation on the international stage. “We are very grateful to the judges for recognising the challenges faced with enforcement of IP and for providing adequate relief,” said Karimullah Adeni, advocate.