If you’re planning to register trademark in Pakistan or need to verify any trademark registration for any other rationale, IPO’s trademark search service is helpful.

Based on currently effective Trademark Ordinance 2001, anyone have right to search for registered or pending approval trademarks in IPO registry system.

There are two ways to search trademarks.

1. Make a request for trademark search under rule 87 of Chapter XV of Trademark Rules 2004.
2. Make a request for personal search under rule 88 of Chapter XV of Trademark Rules 2004.

IPO Trademark Search under Rule 87

The trademark rule 87 of chapter XV of TM rules is:

A person may in the form as set out in Form TM-55 request the Registrar to cause a search to be made in respect of specified goods or services classified in any one class of the Fourth Schedule to ascertain whether any mark in the Register or among pending applications for registration resembles a trade mark of which duplicate representations accompany the form. The Registrar shall cause such search to be made and the person making the request to be informed of the result thereof.

IPO, Trademark rules under TM Ordinance 2001

How to make use of Rule 87 to look for trademark?

Visit nearby IPO office, file TM-55 form, pay the form fee (currently it is Rs. 1000 PKR). See latest fee at IPO’s TM Forms & Fee.

The other option is to login to your IPO account. If you don’t have an IPO account yet, you can register for IPO account easily. Once logged in, click on the + (plus) icon next to TM-55 form and then click on ‘Add new Application‘. Fill the form, pay the fee online, and wait for the response. The status of your application can be seen under TM-55 form Search Report option in left-side menu in IPO account.

Either you filed request in-office or online, please wait at least 15 days to get a response against your trademark search request to IPO registry under rule 87.

IPO Trademark Search under Rule 88

The trademark rule 88 of chapter XV of TM rules is:

A person may also conduct personal search on payment of the fee in respect of the specified goods or services in any one class of the Fourth Schedule to ascertain whether any mark in the Register or among pending applications for registration resembles a trade mark of which he desires registration.

IPO, Trademark rules under TM Ordinance 2001

How to make use of Rule 88 to look for trademark?

There is no request form indicated to search under this rule, however, you can still visit nearby IPO office. Ask them to allow you to make a personal search for trademark. The fee for this service is currently Rs. 300 PKR every quarter (15 minutes) of an hour. Since you might spend an hour or more searching trademark from trademark register, the total fee will add up the fee for every 15 minutes you spent. See latest fee at IPO’s TM Forms & Fee.

Tip: Learn what is trademark infringement. Follow these steps to report your trading name infringement on social media. Probably this will help you to get back your official social handle or username.