The Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan will become fully digital within the next six months, Director General Nauman Aslam Sheikh announced during a meeting at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries, promising that all services of the organisation will shift to a modern, fast, and transparent fast-track system as part of an ongoing reform programme that has already delivered measurable improvements in processing times and case management. The announcement comes at a time when intellectual property protection is increasingly being recognised as a foundational requirement for Pakistan’s export competitiveness, brand development, and investor confidence, making the pace and credibility of IPO Pakistan’s digital transformation a matter of direct commercial relevance to the business community.
Sheikh told the gathering that the impact of ongoing reforms is already visible in processing timelines. Application processing that previously took three to four months has been reduced to approximately one month, a significant improvement that reflects both the administrative restructuring underway within the organisation and the early stages of its technology-driven workflow overhaul. A large backlog of pending applications that had accumulated to over 30,000 has been brought down to approximately 3,000 through more effective case management, addressing a longstanding concern of businesses and legal professionals who had grown frustrated with the delays affecting trademark, patent, and copyright filings. The launch of an online complaint management system was also highlighted as an immediate and practical facility for the business community, allowing complaints to be submitted and tracked digitally rather than through in-person or paper-based processes.
Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigol welcomed the Director General’s commitments and underlined the importance of IPO Pakistan’s role in brand value protection and export growth, stressing the need for stronger awareness campaigns on brand registration, trademarks, and intellectual property rights. Both speakers acknowledged that a significant awareness gap persists within Pakistan’s business community, with many businesses continuing to operate without registering their brands, leaving them vulnerable to copying and infringement of their products and identities. Sheikh noted that IPO Pakistan is addressing this gap through a multi-channel awareness campaign spanning social media, animated videos, content in five languages, and formal outreach to leading chambers of commerce across the country. The Director General added that after complete digitalization, service delivery will become faster, more effective, and more transparent, with the organisation working toward alignment with international intellectual property standards that will support Pakistan’s credibility as a business destination for domestic and foreign investors alike.
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