Workshop: Media urged to create awareness against piracy

Information minister calls for curbing the menace of indulging in counterfeit market.

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervez Rashid, on Wednesday, urged the media to play its role in raising awareness about the menace of counterfeiting and piracy affecting the rights of consumers and investors.

He stressed that the public and private sector should come closer and share their opinion and expertise to devise means required to curb counterfeiting, piracy and smuggling.

He was speaking at a workshop on ‘Role of Media in Projecting Legitimate Business Practices’ held in Islamabad. Rashid said the country’s economy can only flourish when laws work.



Head of Business Development Group, Pakistan Tobacco Company Asim Imdad explained the impact of illicit cigarette trade on the national economy. He stated that according to third-party research the estimate loss to the government from the illicit cigarette trade was over Rs80 billion in the last five years and it would further increase to Rs100 billion in the next five years, if nothing is done.

Amar Naseer, spokesperson for Anti Counterfeit & Infringement Forum (ACIF) said that the rights of consumer were being openly violated by the unscrupulous elements. Famous brands lose 5 to 15 % in sales revenue amounting to billions in rupee terms.

Oxford University Press Managing Director and ACIF Chairperson Ameena Saiyid pointed out that Pakistan is among the countries where violation of intellectual property rights is rampant.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2013.