EVOLUTION OF PATENT LAW IN PAKISTAN: HISTORICAL AND DOCTRINAL PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

 Patent law forms a backbone of intellectual property rights, as it awards the inventors with exclusive rights over their inventions for a specified period, thus accelerating innovation and economic developments. This paper examines the historical and doctrinal development of the Patent law in Pakistan, which has its roots from colonial statutes to reforms in the modern time, driven by international treaties such as the Trips Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) Agreement. Utilizing the doctrinal legal research and analysis of secondary data, the research explores legislative efforts, judicial interpretation, and the socio-legal issues impacting enforcement of the patent law in Pakistan. The findings show that there has been substantial growth in legal modernization but still an institutional weakness, lack of public awareness, and enforcement problems. The paper ends with providing some recommendations on legal reforms, capacity building and public participation to support Pakistan’s patent system and the broader ecosystem of innovation.