Getting a patent accepted by IPO-Pakistan doesn’t automatically make it uncontestable. Once an accepted application is advertised in the Official Gazette, anyone with grounds to object can file a formal opposition – and if you’re the applicant, knowing how that process works (and how to respond) matters just as much as knowing how to file in the first place.
When Opposition Can Be Filed
After a patent application clears examination, IPO-Pakistan accepts it and advertises the acceptance in the Official Gazette, Part V. This advertisement is what opens the door to opposition – third parties who believe the application shouldn’t proceed to grant can file a notice of opposition against it during the prescribed window following publication.
How Opposition Is Filed
A notice of opposition is filed on Form P-7, at a fee of PKR 2,250. If either side wants to be heard in person rather than have the matter decided on paperwork alone, a notice of intention to attend hearing is filed on Form P-8, also PKR 2,250.
Once opposition is filed, the applicant is entitled to respond, and the Controller reviews the arguments and evidence from both sides before deciding whether the application should proceed to grant, be amended, or be refused.
Common Grounds for Opposition
Opposition is typically raised where a third party believes the applicant isn’t the true inventor or entitled person, the invention isn’t actually novel or lacks an inventive step in light of prior art the examiner may have missed, or the application falls into one of the exclusions under section 7 of the Patents Ordinance 2000 (business methods, discoveries, purely aesthetic works, and similar categories).
Why This Stage Matters
An opposition doesn’t necessarily mean your invention is invalid – it often turns on how well the original application and specification were drafted, and how strong the response to the opposition is. Applicants who skimped on the prior-art search at filing stage are the ones most exposed here. Our patent registration services include opposition defence and filing support on both sides of a dispute. If you’re still at the filing stage, see our guide on how to patent an invention in Pakistan first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can oppose a patent application in Pakistan?
Any third party with grounds to object – commonly a competitor, a party claiming prior rights, or someone who believes the invention isn’t genuinely novel or patentable – can file a notice of opposition after the application is advertised as accepted.
What form is used to file a patent opposition?
Form P-7, Notice of Opposition, at a fee of PKR 2,250.
Can I request a hearing during opposition proceedings?
Yes, either party can file Form P-8, Notice of Intention to Attend Hearing, at a fee of PKR 2,250, to be heard in person rather than have the matter decided on papers alone.
Does an opposition automatically stop the patent from being granted?
No. The Controller reviews both sides’ arguments and evidence and decides whether the application proceeds, is amended, or is refused – opposition doesn’t guarantee refusal.
