Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ISLAMABAD964
2009-05-05 13:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
PAKISTAN: DATA PROTECTION LEGISLATION SLOWLY MOVING
how-toVZCZCXRO6427 RR RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHIL #0964 1251310 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 051310Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2583 INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 1575 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 7179 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 6116 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4843 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0222 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0254
UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000964
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN: DATA PROTECTION LEGISLATION SLOWLY MOVING
FORWARD
REF: State 42680
UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000964
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN: DATA PROTECTION LEGISLATION SLOWLY MOVING
FORWARD
REF: State 42680
1. (SBU) EconOffs delivered reftel demarche informing the GOP that
Pakistan will remain on the Priority Watch List to Imran Ali
Director (U.S.),Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Syed Bukhari,
Director General, Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan on
April 29.
2. (SBU) Ali and Bukhari were not surprised that Pakistan will
remain on the Priority Watch List. Ali asked what needed to be done
for Pakistan's 301 status to change. EconOffs explained that
enacting data protection legislation and continuing to strengthen
enforcement efforts are the two most important areas. Bukhari was
receptive to working on a list of action items.
3. (SBU) Separately, the Director General of the Ministry of Health
and a pharmaceutical company representative each reported that the
foreign and domestic pharmaceutical companies have agreed on a
definition of "new chemical entity" for the data protection
legislation after two years of intermittent discussions. With this
definition agreed to at last, the long-delayed data protection
legislation will now return to the Ministry of Law before going to
the Cabinet for approval. If approved in the Cabinet, the
legislation will go to the National Assembly and then to the Senate.
Bukhari said he preferred to enact the data protection legislation
as an executive ordinance so that Pakistan would have progress to
show at a midterm 301 review. (Note: Ordinances do not require
National Assembly approval. End note.)
4. (SBU) Comment: Should Bukhari fail in his bid to get the data
protection enacted as an ordinance, the approval process through the
National Assembly could be protracted. Given that the
pharmaceutical lobbies have already weighed in, however, we are
hopeful that even the legislation will move relatively quickly.
Post will follow up with Bukhari to develop and implement with the
GOP a list of IPR action items. End Comment.
FEIERSTEIN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN: DATA PROTECTION LEGISLATION SLOWLY MOVING
FORWARD
REF: State 42680
1. (SBU) EconOffs delivered reftel demarche informing the GOP that
Pakistan will remain on the Priority Watch List to Imran Ali
Director (U.S.),Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Syed Bukhari,
Director General, Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan on
April 29.
2. (SBU) Ali and Bukhari were not surprised that Pakistan will
remain on the Priority Watch List. Ali asked what needed to be done
for Pakistan's 301 status to change. EconOffs explained that
enacting data protection legislation and continuing to strengthen
enforcement efforts are the two most important areas. Bukhari was
receptive to working on a list of action items.
3. (SBU) Separately, the Director General of the Ministry of Health
and a pharmaceutical company representative each reported that the
foreign and domestic pharmaceutical companies have agreed on a
definition of "new chemical entity" for the data protection
legislation after two years of intermittent discussions. With this
definition agreed to at last, the long-delayed data protection
legislation will now return to the Ministry of Law before going to
the Cabinet for approval. If approved in the Cabinet, the
legislation will go to the National Assembly and then to the Senate.
Bukhari said he preferred to enact the data protection legislation
as an executive ordinance so that Pakistan would have progress to
show at a midterm 301 review. (Note: Ordinances do not require
National Assembly approval. End note.)
4. (SBU) Comment: Should Bukhari fail in his bid to get the data
protection enacted as an ordinance, the approval process through the
National Assembly could be protracted. Given that the
pharmaceutical lobbies have already weighed in, however, we are
hopeful that even the legislation will move relatively quickly.
Post will follow up with Bukhari to develop and implement with the
GOP a list of IPR action items. End Comment.
FEIERSTEIN