1. What Trademarks may be registered in Pakistan?

A trade mark is a mark used or proposed to be used for or in connection with goods or services to discriminate such goods or services from other goods or services. A mark can comprise of words, names, devices, certain three dimensional-shapes, colors, slogans, sounds, trade-dress/get-up, etc.

To register the mark as a Trade mark, the mark must meet the following requirements:

  • It must be distinctive and not descriptive in respect of its goods and services.
  • It must not be indistinguishable or similar to a mark previously registered or any pending prior application for registration.
  1. Marks that cannot be registered as trademarks in Pakistan

The following marks may not be considered registrable:

  • Marks contrary to moral standards or public order.
  • Names, flags, official symbol of any state, or a nation, or territories.
  • Marks that are capable of hurting the religious or racial susceptibilities of any class of citizens in Pakistan.
  • Marks that comprises any scandalous or obscene matter;
  • Marks contrary to any law, for the time being in force or morality.
  • Marks that have been applied for in bad faith.
  • No trademark be registered in respect of chemical substances or preparations if it uses the name of a chemical element or a single chemical compound distinguished from a mixture or declared by the WHO as an international non-proprietary name.