Counterfeit Goods Enforcement in Pakistan: Customs Seizure & Market Raids
Counterfeit goods entering or already circulating in Pakistan are addressed through two different mechanisms — customs recordation to intercept shipments at the border, and market raids or civil/criminal action for goods already in domestic circulation.
Counterfeit goods reach the Pakistani market two ways — imported from abroad, or manufactured domestically — and the enforcement tools differ depending on which stage you're catching them at. Brand owners searching for the best IP lawyer in Pakistan against counterfeiting have three routes available, and the strongest cases use more than one.
Customs recordation: stopping goods before they clear
Pakistan Customs works with IPO-Pakistan to detect and intercept counterfeit goods at the border, and a registered trademark can be recorded with customs to flag shipments matching the mark for inspection. This is generally the highest-leverage step available to a brand with a genuine counterfeiting problem, because it stops goods before they ever reach a market stall or retailer — recovering goods already sold is far harder than stopping the container.
What customs actually needs from the rights holder
An effective recordation depends on giving customs officers something concrete to act on — clear images of the genuine mark and packaging, known characteristics that distinguish counterfeits (packaging quality, misspellings, incorrect holograms), and a responsive contact for confirming a suspected shipment quickly, since goods can't be held indefinitely while a rights holder is reached.
Market raids for goods already in circulation
For counterfeit goods already being sold domestically, civil action for an injunction and delivery-up, or a criminal complaint under the Trade Marks Ordinance, both remain available — see our companion article on trademark infringement enforcement in Pakistan for how those two routes work. Evidence gathering (test purchases, photographs, documenting the seller) generally needs to happen before any formal action, since a seller alerted too early simply moves the stock.
Building an enforcement program, not a one-off action
A single successful raid or seizure rarely ends a counterfeiting problem on its own — sellers and importers who see one shipment stopped often simply route around it. Brands with a persistent counterfeiting problem in Pakistan get more value from an ongoing programme — customs recordation kept current, periodic market monitoring, and a standing relationship with counsel who can act quickly — than from treating each incident as an isolated case.
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Common questions
What legal routes are available against counterfeit goods in Pakistan?
Three routes, which can run together: a civil suit before the Intellectual Property Tribunal for an injunction and damages, a criminal complaint since trademark counterfeiting is a criminal offence under the Trade Marks Ordinance, and customs recordation to intercept counterfeit imports at the border before they reach the market.
Is counterfeiting a criminal offence in Pakistan?
Yes. The Trade Marks Ordinance, 2001 criminalises the sale and manufacture of goods bearing a falsified trademark, with penalties running alongside related Pakistan Penal Code provisions. A criminal complaint can proceed independently of, or alongside, a civil infringement claim.
This article is general information about Pakistani law and procedure, not legal advice for any specific matter. If this touches on something you're currently facing, get in touch and we'll advise on your facts directly.