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.
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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Referral Partnership
We work with law firms outside Pakistan whose clients need trademark protection here. Firms that commit to referring at least 10 trademark filings a year receive their first 5 trademark applications — including official IPO-Pakistan fees — at no cost, while we build the working relationship.
Discuss a Referral PartnershipThis 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.