Trademark protection in Pakistan is administered by the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan under the Trade Marks Ordinance 2001. Pakistan uses the Nice classification, and each class is a separate application with its own fee and its own examination.

What drives cost

The honest way to budget is per class, not per brand. Many applicants file in two or three classes covering their actual and near-term goods and services, rather than filing broadly and paying for coverage they will never use or be able to defend against non-use cancellation.

Start with a clearance search

A search across identical and confusingly similar marks in the relevant classes costs a fraction of a filing and prevents the most expensive outcome: paying for an application that is refused or opposed. The search should cover phonetic and visual similarity, not just exact matches.

Timeline

Total elapsed time to certificate is frequently eighteen months to three years. The filing date, however, secures priority from day one, so the wait does not leave you unprotected against later applicants.

After registration

Registration lasts ten years from the filing date and is renewable. Use the mark, keep evidence of use, and monitor the journal for conflicting applications. A registered mark that is not used for a continuous period is vulnerable to cancellation.

General information on Pakistani trademark procedure. Official fees are set by IPO-Pakistan and change from time to time.