Register your Trademark

 

What is a Trademark or Service Mark?

A Trademark may include a word, phrase, symbol, and/or design created and owned by a business, which specifies and distinguishes the origin of the goods offered by that business from those of others. Just like trademarks, a service mark may include a word, phrase, symbol, and/or design created and owned by a business, which specifies and distinguishes the origin of the services offered by that business from those of others.

How you can get registered your trademark in Pakistan?

In Pakistan, Trade Marks Registry of Intellectual Property Organization Pakistan is the responsible body for the registration of trade and services marks under the Trademarks Ordinance, 2001. Trade Marks Registry, headed by a Registrar, works under the supervision of the Federal Government of Pakistan and its principal office located in Karachi and Regional Office situated in Lahore.

Step-by-Step Process to Register Trademark

1.       Application for Trademark Registration

Application made on prescribed Form TM-1 along with 7 additional copies shall be filed in Trade Marks Registry office at Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad or Peshawar. The concerned office shall receive complete application with Bank Draft of prescribed fee and Power of Attorney in case of filing by your lawyer. Trade Marks Registry Office shall issue acknowledgement and application number on the spot.

Trademarks and Service marks are classified or divided in 45 Classes, Class-1 to Class-34 covers products while Class-35 to Class-45 include services. For Trademark or Service Mark registration you must have knowledge of relevant class applicable on your specific product or service.

You can also file an online application for registration of Trademark or Service Mark at www.apply.ipo.gov.pk.

1.       Examination

On receipt of trademark registration application, Examination Section of Trade Marks Registry assigns the application to one of its eight sub-section for thorough examination of application in the light of Trade Marks Ordinance, 2001.

If any discrepancy or shortcoming found in the application, the same is conveyed to the applicant with the request to make it compliant with the Trade Marks Ordinance, 2001.

All subsequent amendments in the application after filing are made through Form TM-16 which is filed with specified amount of fee every time.

2.       Publication of Trademarks in Journal

If there is no discrepancy found in application or all shortcomings meet with and the application does not contravene the Ordinance any further, then the Registrar accept the application and send it to the Journal section for publication in Trademarks Journal.

The Journal Section publish all accepted applications in the Trademark Journal for public awareness as well as to invite opposition by interested parties before the final registration of a trademark or service mark.

3.       Opposition against Published Trademark

Once the Trademark is published in Trademarks Journal, the interested parties invited to file opposition against a trademark if the registration of such trademark infringe their right. A time period of Sixty Days is given to file opposition after publication in Trademarks Journal.

Registrar will communicate such opposition to the applicant and the applicant needs to file a written reply of the opposition. The Registrar will decide the matter after hearing the both parties. In case, opponent satisfies the Registrar the trademark application will be abandoned otherwise it proceed for registration.

4.       Registration of Trademark Service Mark

If no opposition is raised or opposition matters decided in favor of the applicant, then the registrar recommend the registration of trademark or service mark and issue a letter to the applicant to submit a prescribed fee to get the registration certificate.

A Trademark or Service Mark registration certificate is issued by the Registrar. A registered trademark is valid for a time period of 10 years, afterwards, it needs to be renewed for another 10 years.

5.       Time Period for Registration

Usual time period for registration of a Trademark or Service Mark from application to registration certificate is 18 to 20 Months, however actual duration depends on case to case basis.