Copyrights

In Pakistan constitution, copyright is a legal right that protects an original work. It provides sole proprietorship and ownership to the one who has produced work and prevents others from copying.

• Copyright protects an original work which includes artwork, books, websites, computer programs, drawings, plays, films, music and sound recordings.
• Copyright carry symbol © which helps to demonstrate that one claim copyright in a particular work.
• By owning copyright in a work one can control how to use it in order to protect its value.
• Others who want to use the work of other have to buy or to get permission.
• Copyright laws make it easier for owners to make money by selling their works.

According to section 10 of the Copyright Ordinance, 1962 as amended by the Copyright (Amendment) Ordinance, 2000

The things which can be copyrighted include :

• literary work (including computer programmes ; excluding speeches
• musical works, including any accompanying words
• dramatic works, including any combination of melody and harmony or either of them, produced or reproduced graphically
• pantomimes and choreographic works
• pictorial, graphic, sculptural and artistic works (i.e. painting, sculpture, drawing, engraving or a photograph, an architectural work of art and any other work of artistic craftsmanship)
• motion pictures and other audio-visual works
• sound recordings, any disc, tape, wire, perforated roll or other device in which sounds are embodied)
• architectural plans, drawings and actual buildings

Things which cannot be copyrighted include:

• Ideas, Methods, or Systems.
• Commonly Known Information includes items with no known authorship. For example standard calendars, height, weight charts, telephone directories, tape measures and rulers, and lists or tables taken from public documents.
• Choreographic Works.
• Names, Titles, Short Phrases, or Expressions.
• Fashion.

• Registration of copyright establishes a public record of the copyright holder’s ownership.
• Registration of copyright enables copyright holders to sue against infringers in federal courts.
• If one is using copyrighted material of another without his permission and earn profit from that, then court may take action against him to compensate damages by giving the copyright’s owner his profit as restitution.
• Registration of copyright allows copyright owner to record the registration with Pakistan Customs. It will protect against the importation of infringing copies into the Pakistan.

• The real owner of the original work can apply for the registration of a copyright.
• A copyright can have multiple owners if there is an agreement between them. These multiple owners of copyright are called co-owners of the copyright.
• The mere ownership or transfer ownership of work such as book, manuscript, painting or any other copy or record does not give the possessor the copyright. It is state laws which regulate business dealings involving these copyrights.