Awareness Session on Geographical Indications and Consultations for Joining Lisbon Agreement held at University of Peshawar.
The Directorate of Quality Enhancement, University of Peshawar and Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO – Pak) jointly organized an Awareness Session on Geographical Indications (GIs) and Consultations for Joining Lisbon Agreement for International Registration of GIs on December 15, 2022, at SSAQ Museum Conference Hall, University of Peshawar.
Zahoor Ahmad, Director, Directorate of Quality Enhancement, University of Peshawar welcomed the participants. The participants of the event were from the Business Community, Academia, different organization of Federal and Provincial Government, and also participated by the Artists.
The Chief Guest Prof. Dr. Zahid Anwar, Pro – Vice Chancellor, University of Peshawar, highlighted in the opening ceremony that Geographical Indications are special type of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) which have specific geographical origin, possess qualities and reputation essentially due to natural and human factors of place or origin.
It may be an agricultural, traditional or industrial product. Basmati rice, Pink Rock Salt, Sargodha Kinnow, Hyderabad Bangles, Sindhi Ajrak, Peshawari Chappal, Ziarat Cherry, Hunza Apricot, Chounsa mango etc. are some of the well-known GIs of Pakistan.
The resource person Muhammad Ismail, Director (GIs), IPO – Pakistan and Dr. Asifa Noor, University of Punjab briefed the participants that Pakistan intends to join Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement (2015) administered by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It would be helpful for Pakistan to get its Geographical Indications registered in other countries.
With the accession to the Lisbon Agreement, Pakistan will be able to protect its GIs in more than 100 countries by filing a single application at WIPO, whereby facilitating ease of doing business. Indigenous products of Pakistan will get premium price in the international market.
The Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration, signed on 31 October 1958, ensures that in member countries, appellations of origin receive protection when it is protected in their country of origin.
In another development, the Directorate of Quality Enhancement, University of Peshawar organized a training on “Quality Assurance in Higher Education” for Program Team Members who are selected from each Institute/Centre/Department/College of the University of Peshawar at SSAQ – Museum Conference Hall, University of Peshawar on December 26, 2022.
The objectives of this training are to equip the Program Team Members with the relevant skills for collecting the requisite data for MS/M. Phil & Ph. D Programs (level 7 & 8 programs) review and Self – Assessment Reports (SAR) of the Academic Programs.
Zahoor Ahmad, Director, Directorate of Quality Enhancement, University of Peshawar welcomed the participants. The resource person of the said training was Imranullah Khan Marwat, Director, Quality Assurance, Higher Education Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.