KARACHI: Consumer rights law under study, says Soomro
KARACHI, March 14: Lack of foresight in planning at the government level, imbalance in demand and supply of food and services, poor legislation to protect the consumers’ rights, and poor business ethics are the main reasons for the sufferings of consumers in Pakistan.
This was stated by Chairman Senate Mohammedmian Soomro here on Tuesday, while speaking at a seminar on ‘Consumer Rights in Pakistan’ jointly organized by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and Consumer Foundation.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that consumers’ plight was interplay of four main parties: growers, traders, government functionaries and consumers themselves.
He said that in most countries, machines which did not conform to the specifications of the imported countries were rejected and sent back to the exporting country but in our country even fake and counterfeit medicines were accepted and available in the markets.
Mr Soomro said that draft consumer ordinance, presented by Consumer Foundation, would be studied and given legal status after proper weighing.
On the occasion, City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal said that in order to provide better services to the consumers a computerized system was being introduced.
He said that through this system expert and professionals shall render services to the consumers.
Referring to the traffic congestion in the metropolis, he said that the city government was committed to eliminate all the encroachments, so that smooth flow of traffic could be ensured. He said he had ordered dismantling of illegal hoardings and signboards.
Earlier, Mrs Huma Bukhari, president Consumer Foundation, said that the Consumer Foundation not only pledged to educate the consumers of their rights but also was fighting for their rights at various fronts.
Documentary films regarding consumer exploitation by traders and companies were also screened on the occasion.
The World Consumer Rights Day is being celebrated in all parts of the world on March 14, but there is no ray of hope in sight for Pakistani consumers, as due to lack of awareness, as well as, regulatory checks, profiteers are having a field day, with prices of all daily-use commodities from wheat flour to sugar and from milk to medicines touching new heights.
Consumers are the largest economic group in any economy, affecting and affected by almost every public and private economic decision, but they are the only important group whose views are often not heard.
The World Consumer Rights Day was introduced in 1983 by Consumers International (CI) and the UN adopted these guidelines. As such, consumer rights were elevated to a position of international recognition and legitimacy, acknowledged by the developed and developing countries alike.
On the international level eight basic rights of consumers have been recognized: the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose, the right to be heard, the right to satisfaction of basic needs, the right to redress, the right to education, and the right to a healthy environment. These eight rights also provide a framework for strengthening national consumer protection polices, but ironically all these eight consumers’ rights are blatantly violated in this Pakistan.
The consumer rights day is the day for promoting the basic rights of all consumers, for demanding that those rights are respected and protected.
Consumers are the largest stakeholders in any country and in the developed countries they are treated with respect and are protected by strong and effective consumer protection laws and consumer courts.
In developing countries like Pakistan, the situation is quite the opposite and due to the lack of effective consumer laws and consumer courts, consumers are being cheated by glossy advertisements and are being poisoned by counterfeit products.
In Pakistan, consumer laws are a provincial matter and there are only 2 Consumer Protection Acts. One in Islamabad and the other in Punjab, but both are dormant. The government has, from time to time, made half-hearted attempts to introduce changes and protect the interests of the consumers and rising prices.
The Consumer Protection Ordinance, Sindh was presented to the governor signed on August 12, 2004 and six months back the Sindh governor had established a Consumer Rights Council through a notification under the CPLC.
The objectives of the council were to check prices of essential food items and the interest of the consumers.—PPI
