Intellectual property violations are costing Pakistan Rs860 billion (US$3.1 billion) annually in lost revenue in taxes, according to the latest Intellectual Property Rights Survey released in May by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI).  

The survey, which covered eight different economic sectors, found that trademark violations were rated by respondents as the most prevalent form of infringement. Six in 10 OICCI member companies participating in the survey said IP rights are partially protected and have further room for improvement under Pakistan’s current laws. 

Members were equally critical of enforcement of IP rights: most IP disputes take more than three years to resolve, the study found, noting that cases rarely reach conclusion in their early stages. 

Speaking at the launch of the report, Nauman Aslam, director-general of the Intellectual Property Office of Pakistan, said: “Strong IPR protection is an economic imperative. These findings reinforce the need for robust institutions, effective inter-agency coordination, and stronger service delivery across the IPR enforcement ecosystem. IPO Pakistan is committed to bridging the enforcement gap and positioning Pakistan as a jurisdiction that values innovation.” 

Abdul Aleem, secretary general of OICCI, said that the survey findings “are a useful reminder of the work that still needs to be done on IPR in Pakistan. Foreign investors want to operate in an environment where their brands, products, and innovations are protected and where disputes can be resolved in a reasonable timeframe.” 

Aleem suggested that the costs to the government in terms of lost tax revenue should be cause for government action. “An annual loss of Rs860 billion in revenue and taxes is a matter that warrants close attention. We hope the government and relevant agencies will take these findings in the constructive spirit in which they are shared, and work with the private sector towards improvements,” he added. 

Also in May, IPO Pakistan announced a six-month digital transformation plan to modernize its trademark, copyright and patent services. Aslam told local media that the initiative includes AI tools and an online complaint system. 

Speaking during a visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Aslam said the initiative is intended to make trademark, copyright and patent-related services quicker, more transparent and more business-friendly, Pakistan Today reported. He said IPO Pakistan was moving away from traditional paper-based procedures and shifting towards a modern digital system. According to him, the newspaper said, the transition is designed to cut delays, improve the quality of examination work and reduce litigation linked to trademark disputes and registration-related irregularities. 

It is against this backdrop, and our optimism that intellectual property protection may soon become more of a priority in Pakistan, that we are announcing this, our list of Pakistan’s Top 30 IP Experts. 

First, we turned to IP professionals in the region in order to understand better what clients need today. Asia IP asked a large number of professionals – mostly in-house counsel and corporate legal managers – what they were looking for from their legal service providers. From their answers, we have compiled our list of Pakistan’s IP Experts, those lawyers who understand just what their clients need and are able to provide them with the best practical advice.  

Pakistan’s top law firms each placed a number of lawyers on our list. Heavy hitters like Ali & Associates placed four lawyers (Karimullah Adeni, Hanya Haroon, Syed Auqil Ali Shah and Ali Kabir Shah) on our list, while, Meer & Hasan (Salim Hasan, Farooq Amjad Meer and Zeeshan Ashraf Meer) and Vellani & Vellani (Didar Karim, Ameen Vellani and Badaruddin Vellani) each placed three lawyers on our list of experts.  

ABS & Co. (Samar Masood and Majid Bashir), ALIPA (Muhammad Abeed Atif and Khadija Ijaz), Bharucha & Co. (Mohammed Fazil Bharucha and Farzana Rustom), Hamayuns (Mohsin Nusrullah and Saad Nusrullah), Sheikh Brothers (Salman Ahmed Sheikh and Sultan Sheik) and United Trademark & Patent Services (Hasan Irfan Khan and Yawar Irfan Khan) each landed two. Eight other firms each placed a single lawyer on our list. Only lawyers active in practice in offices in Pakistan were eligible for inclusion. 

Most of the lawyers named to our list have multiple practice specialties. Many of them are litigators, while others concentrate on prosecution work or provide strategic advice.  

All of them have something in common: they are experts in their fields and, in one way or another, they provide extra value for their clients. They are Asia IP’s Pakistan IP Experts. – GREGORY GLASS

Pakistan’s IP Experts is based solely on independent editorial research conducted by Asia IP. As part of this project, we turned to thousands of in-house counsel in Pakistan and South Asia, as well as South Asia-focused partners at international law firms, and asked them to nominate private-practice lawyers, including foreign legal consultants, advisers and counsel.  

The final list reflects the nominations received combined with the input of the editorial team at Asia IP, which has more than 55 years of collective experience in researching and understanding the legal market in the region. 

All private practice intellectual property lawyers working at law firms in Pakistan were eligible for inclusion in the nomination process; there were no fees or any other requirements for inclusion. 

The names of our 30 IP Experts are published here. Each IP Expert was given the opportunity to include their biography and contact details in print and on our website, for which a fee was charged.