PAKISTAN
Up to October 2000, Pakistani patent and design registration and protection were governed by the Pakistan Patents and Designs Act, 1911. On October 26, 2000, the Patents Ordinance, 2000, dealing to the registration and protection of Patents, replaced the Patent Law and brought it into compliance with the GATT/TRIPS accords. The Patents Rules, 2003, which serve to carry out the objectives of the Patents Ordinance, were introduced on December 31, 2003.
PROCESS OF PATENT REGISTRATION
Only the actual and first inventor, his assignee, or successor-in-interest may submit a patent application. In the latter situation, the application must be signed by the inventor or inventors in front of two witnesses. A Specification (competitive specification where conventional priority is claimed) must be submitted with the Application. The specification must be printed on A4-sized paper with a margin of at least 2.5 cm on the left side and 2 cm on the top, right, and bottom. Drawings must be submitted on smooth, sturdy white A4 paper with a margin of at least 2.5 cm on the top and left, 1.5 cm on the right, and 1 cm at the bottom.
Priority claims for conventional patent applications may be made with regard to patent applications filed in WTO or Paris Convention members or any other member country. Within a year of the priority application, the regular application must be filed in Pakistan. When the Pakistani application is submitted, or within three months of that date, a certified copy of the application on which the priority is based must also be submitted. If the priority application is submitted in a language other than English, a certified translation into English of the priority document must also be submitted.