15 October 2004	Friday	29 Shaban 1425

PESHAWAR, Oct 14: The need for protecting consumers and creating awareness about their rights was stressed at a seminar at the press club on Thursday.

The seminar was held on the occasion of launching of a consumer complaint cell, a project of The Network for Consumer Protection in Pakistan.

The speakers said most people did not know what remedy they could seek if they were deceived by the sellers, suppliers or service providers from the public and private sectors.

They said the absence of a consumer protection law and policy had made them vulnerable. They said the producers and sellers knew that there was no check or organized reaction from the consumers if their products were unsatisfactory or even dangerous.

They said blind liberalization process and unfair business practices of the public and private sectors had aggravated the plight of the marginalized and disadvantaged consumers.

Mobilization and awareness at the grassroots about the protection of consumer rights would create healthy and responsible trends, they said. They said a joint concerted effort was required to make the government take immediate measures for introducing a national consumer protection law. Awami National Party leader Afrasiyab Khattak and officials of the network spoke at the seminar.