Islamabad — The Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) has urged the highest offices of the state to expedite finalisation of long-pending copyright amendments needed for Pakistan’s compliance with the Marrakesh Treaty. In letters sent on September 24, 2025, CPDI requested decisive action from the President, the Prime Minister, the Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and the Secretary of the Ministry of Law and Justice to end the ongoing delay.
CPDI asked the President to advise the concerned ministries, requested the Prime Minister to instruct the Ministry of Law and Justice to make the matter a priority, asked the Ministry of Commerce to coordinate with the Law Ministry as the parent ministry, and urged the Law Secretary to speed up the vetting process for the proposed copyright amendments.
Pakistan acceded to the Marrakesh Treaty on December 12, 2023, and the treaty entered into force on June 12, 2024. The Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan) prepared and approved draft copyright amendments and submitted them to the Federal Government in February 2024, but the changes remain pending before the Ministry of Law and Justice for final vetting and placement before Parliament.
Mukhtar Ahmad Ali, Executive Director of CPDI, said, “It is unfortunate that such an inordinate delay has persisted since February 2024—more than one year and seven months— in finalising the required amendments. The Marrakesh Treaty is a critical instrument for ensuring that persons with visual impairment can access published works in accessible formats. The continued delay is denying thousands of citizens their fundamental right to information and knowledge.”
Nosheen Khurram, Manager Communications at CPDI, added, “The government must treat this as an urgent priority. Every additional month of delay means lost opportunities for persons with visual impairment to access books and other published works that are readily available to their peers in other Marrakesh-compliant countries. Swift action will demonstrate Pakistan’s commitment to inclusive access to information.”
CPDI’s appeal highlights the practical impact of delayed copyright amendments on accessible reading and calls on authorities to honour Pakistan’s international commitments so that visually impaired readers can obtain published material without further hindrance.
