Geographical Indications (GI)

In Pakistan, GI protection is governed by the Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act, 2020 and the Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Rules, 2020, and is administered by the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan).

A GI may relate to:

• agricultural products
• natural goods
• handicrafts and industrial products

The law provides protection against misuse, unfair competition, and false indication of origin, in line with international obligations under TRIPS.

Pakistan operates a registration-based system for GI protection. Rights are granted upon registration and allow authorized users to prevent misuse, imitation, or misleading use of the geographical name.

The GI regime in Pakistan applies exclusively to goods, including:

• agricultural products
• natural goods
• manufactured and handicraft products

Unregistered GIs do not enjoy statutory protection, although limited remedies may be available under general unfair competition principles.

Geographical Indications are not governed by the Nice Classification system (used for trademarks).

Goods are categorized based on GI-specific classification, typically including:

• agricultural goods
• natural goods
• manufactured / handicraft goods

Basmati rice is a classic example of a transboundary GI, where:

• it is cultivated in both Pakistan and India
• historical cultivation spans across the Punjab region (shared geography)
• both countries claim GI protection internationally

In the European Union, disputes have arisen regarding exclusive rights, with Pakistan asserting that:

• Basmati is a shared cultural and geographical product
• exclusive registration by one country would misrepresent origin

This highlights the importance of strategic GI registration and international enforcement.

Registered GIs provide enforceable rights against:

• unauthorized use of protected names
• misleading indications of origin
• imitation or evocation of GI products

Enforcement mechanisms include:

• civil litigation before competent courts
• injunctive relief and damages
• administrative actions
• customs and border enforcement (where applicable)

Geographical Indications (GIs) in Pakistan are governed by a dedicated statutory and international legal framework that regulates their registration, protection, and enforcement.

National Laws

• Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act, 2020, the primary legislation providing for the registration, protection, and enforcement of GIs in Pakistan.

• Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Rules, 2020 — the procedural framework governing filing, examination, opposition, registration, and post-registration compliance

The Pakistani GI regime applies exclusively to goods, including agricultural, natural, and manufactured products whose qualities, reputation, or characteristics are essentially attributable to their geographical origin.

• GI protection is territorial, requiring registration in each jurisdiction for international protection
• Rights are granted through registration, enabling action against misuse and misleading use
• Protection is limited to goods, and does not extend to services
• Enforcement includes civil remedies, administrative actions, and border measures (where applicable)

• Opposition: within 3 months of advertisement of the application (section 20).
• Registration of a GI: perpetual (section 25(1)).
• Authorised users: 10 years from the filing date, renewable for further periods of 10 years (sections 23 and 25).
• Under the Act and Rules, the Federal Government owns GIs and appoints a public body as Registrant, which prepares the Book of Specifications; producers and operators register as Authorised Users with the Registrant's consent (Form GI-01).

Processing times shown in the steps above are our estimates, not statutory periods.

Selected decisions on this area of law, linked to the published judgment. Summaries are general information, not legal advice, and may not reflect later appeals; please read the full text.

List checked on 23 October 2026. Sources: High Court of Sindh case law portal and published reports.