RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Commerce & Textile, Pervez Malik has stressed the need for development of socio-economic growth through innovation and creativity.

He expressed these views while addressing a seminar held in connection with the World Intellectual Property Day (World IP Day), which was organized by Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan) here on Tuesday.

Malik said IPO-Pakistan is motivating students and entrepreneurs to translate their ideas into products and services to materialize this fact. “Innovation and creativity have not only become major drivers of socio-economic growth but also are considered essential tools for development of any society,” he said, adding that the theme of this year’s World IP Day “Powering Change: Women in Innovation and Creativity” is very much relevant to the modern times need.

The minister highlighted the importance of realization of taking benefit from women’s intelligence and aesthetics by engaging them in different fields of everyday activities, saying that 2018’s World IP Day theme was an acknowledgement and gratitude to this fact. Malik voiced for providing equal opportunities to all genders for utilizing their skills, knowledge and expertise in the areas like science, technology, arts, medicine, services and international trade, and expressed the confidence that it is the only way for achieving a healthy and robust growth of not only economy but society also. The commerce minister spoke at length about the importance of intellectual property rights and role of Intellectual Property Organization (IPO-Pakistan) in this regard.

Earlier, Additional Secretary (Trade Policy) Capt Javed Abid (retd) in his remarks symbolized empowering of women with empowering of societies and said that this empowerment ultimately leads to development and prosperity of the societies.

Director General IPO-Pakistan, Muhammad Irfan Tarar thanked the chief guest, speakers and audience for attending the seminar and highlighted the achievements of IPO-Pakistan. He said that in the short span of time, IPO-Pakistan has achieved milestone achievements including streamlining of IP system, intensified IPR awareness campaign and establishment of TISC centers in universities and up-gradation of IP laws. Meanwhile, reviving of automation project, e-filing, e-payment and e-search for IP applications will be initiated shortly.