The Copyright ordinance of Pakistan was initiated in 1962, modeled on the British Copyright Law 1914. The act was put into place to protect intellectual properties from plagiarism and piracy. Until 1994, the act only covered the published/written word. After some pressure from the foreign software industry, the film industries and local film makers, amendments were made to the law to guard computer software, all kinds of audio visual material and periodicals.
Like all most other laws in Pakistan this one seems to be unenforced when it comes to materials that originate from outside of Pakistan. It even seems unenforced when it comes to locally produced material; however, traders seem to have an honor system by virtue of which they discourage the sale of pirated Pakistani material.
A few discrepancies within the Copyright Law that this person noticed were, an author has to license himself/herself with the Copyright Authority, without which the protection of the act does not extend to the individual. Many foreign based authors, movie directors and software companies cannot protect their intellectual properties within Pakistani borders.
The act explicitly prohibits the use of copyrighted material for the use of profit; however, with the advent of high speed internet, a new dimension has been added to this. Individuals can procure protected material from the internet free of cost and distribute it amongst peers without fear of prosecution. Cable internet providers are now downloading material from the internet and making it available to their subscribers, without violating any laws in Pakistan as there is no profit to be made.
Fast evolving technologies require legislation to evolve with the same speed. The question remains, when will our legislation catch up?
Regards,
Zubair Siddiqui
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