ISLAMABAD – Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, a judge of Supreme Court, has opined that since we live in the economic world, hence, awareness about the specialised subjects such as intellectual property rights laws has become more important for all of us including the judges.
He expressed these views in the inaugural ceremony of one-week training course entitled “Case and Court Management and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) Laws in Pakistan” for civil judges hailing from all over Pakistan including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan here at the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA), Islamabad, on Monday.
Justice Khilji said that intellectual property is divided into two categories. These include the industrial property and copyright. Industrial property includes inventions - patents - trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic indications of source; and copyright, which includes literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, artistic works. Rights related to copyright include those of performing artists in their performances.
Appreciating the content of the course, he said: “I really appreciate it, especially, the subjects such as ADR, case and court management.”
He also illuminated the young judicial officers about the hazards of piracy and its effects on the local economy of any country. About management of court and cases, he said that as for as the management of cases and that the court is concerned for the Civil Judges, they must know the cases which come before them, before giving full control to the advocates or the litigants for unnecessary adjournments, it is up to the judges.
Regarding the concept of the Alternate Dispute Resolution Mechanisms, he opined: This concept of Alternate Dispute Resolution Mechanisms (ADRMs) was not new in the religion of Islam. There are several Quranic verses in this context, which advocate the amicable resolution of the disputes in the society. The honourable judge was also of the view that the ADR leads to harmony in the society.
Earlier, DG of the Academy presented his welcome speech and spoke about the importance of the training course.
Hashim Abro, spokesman of the Academy, said that twenty one Civil Judges - three of them female judges- one from Sindh district judiciary, two from Punjab district judiciary- were undergoing this one-week here at the Academy.