Big international music companies to invest in Pakistan soon: IFPI
By Hina Kiyani

ISLAMABAD—The International Federation of Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and Motion Picture Association (MPA) have appreciated the government's efforts in curbing music and film piracy and assured that big international companies would soon start investing in Pakistan.
Director IFPI, Stefan Krawczyk addressing a press conference here Friday said the international companies were reluctant to invest in the past owing to weak enforcement of copyright law, fearing their investments would not pay back. The present government has shown strong political will and understanding to check piracy, he said and added, it has already closed down at least half a dozen illegal optical discs (CDs and DVDs) production plants, which were affecting both domestic and international repertoire.
IFPI represents the recording industry worldwide with over 1,450 members in more than 75 countries and affiliated industry associations in 48 countries, he said. Krawczyk said before the government took steps to check piracy, Pakistan had become one of the largest exporters of pirate discs in the world with an estimated 230 million discs exported in 2004 alone.
He appreciated the working of Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistan Customs in closing down the illegal plants and sealing the borders for export to the outside world. He said being a recording industry IFPI members are not in the business to set up CD plants and added the optical disc plants of those owners, who are willing to work within the law may be used by its members for producing CDs in the future.
Krawczyk said the government can also help create an environment of trust "where the locals trust us and we trust the locals, so that long term business ventures can emerge." However, he expressed the need to raid retail shops selling pirated software and for reviewing the Pakistan copyright law in view of stricter penalties and digital environment.
He said Pakistan suffered US$ 100 million loss in 2006 for the books, music and business software piracy and its height was in 2004 with 148 million dollar losses. In 2006 Pakistan was also one of the top 10 priorities countries in the world in terms of piracy, he added. Krawczyk said an eight-member delegation of film and music industry met the prime minister on Thursday and expressed its gratitude for what has been achieved over the last two years. He said their meeting with prime minister focused on commercial issues and investment.
Patrick Boulos, Director, Universal Music speaking on the occasion said his company plans to invest in local production. It would help in hunting new talent and create job opportunities for the music studios and marketing companies by promoting the new artistes. "Investing in an individual artist creates a chain reaction," he expalined.
Arshad Mahmood, representing the Pakistani music industry said, big companies like His Master's Voice (HMV) and EMI had to close down in Pakistan due to piracy and singers like Noor Jahan and Mehdi Hasan could not find a place to make their recordings. The artists royalty is also washed out by piracy, he added.