Lahore, August 23, 2023 (PPI-OT): The origin-based products of Pakistan like Multan’s Blue Pottery can capture a huge export market by having (Geographical Indication) rights as per an international agreement of the World Intellectual Property Rights Organization (WIPO), also signed by Pakistan. It was disclosed by Mr. Socrat Aman Rana, General Manager, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) while addressing a consultative seminar as Chief Guest on behalf of CEO SMEDA Mr. Farhan Aziz Khawaja. The seminar, jointly organized by SMEDA, Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC), IPO and MCCI was also addressed by Mr. Muhammad Asim Javaid Hashmi, MD PSIC, Ms. Shazia Adnan, Director General of IPO- Pakistan and Sheikh Muhammad Asim Saeed Vice President MCCI. The speakers gave awareness on protection of “Multan’s Blue Pottery as Geographical indication of Pakistan.
Mr. Socrat Aman Rana, General Manager shed light on the importance of Geographical Indication concept of WIPO as a tool for value addition and to give Pakistani products a market identity especially with reference to the SME sector. He also highlighted SMEDA’s role in SME sector development and support to all governmental agencies for achieving this goal.
Mr. Asim Javaid Hashmi, MD-PSIC, addressing the participants on this occasion, informed that PSIC was making concerted efforts to provide GI protection to the products which are specifically made in various areas of Punjab like “Khadar” in Kamalia and Blue Pottery in Multan. He informed that PSIC was working in close collaboration with SMEDA, IPO and the industry stakeholders to complete the process of GI registration. He said, as registrant organization of the origin-based products of Punjab PSIC is compiling specifications and standards as per requirement of WIPO.
Ms. Shazia Adnan, Director General of IPO-Pakistan told that her organization was committed to keep the local manufacturers and exporters abreast with the international intellectual property rights and procedures. She said that Pakistan was signatory of the WIPO’s Trade Related Aspects of the Intellectual Property Rights (TRIP) agreement, under which the government of Pakistan had passed GI-Act 2020 to protect rights of the origin based-products of the country by following due procedures and standards.
Mr. Aim Saeed, Vice President, MCCI thanked SMEDA, PSIC and IPO for giving awareness to the manufactures of Blue Pottery on the new international concept of GI registration that can play pivotal role in acceptability of the origin-based products in the export market, thus enhancing their price, value and exclusivity.
For more information, contact:
DGM (Admin. and PR)
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)
4th Floor, Building No.3, Aiwan-e-Iqbal Complex,
Egerton Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-111-456
Fax: +92-42-36304926-7
Email: aligohar@smeda.org.pk, helpdesk@smeda.org.pk
Website: www.smeda.org.pk