June 06, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 01, 1429

RAWALPINDI, June 5: The consumer court in Rawalpindi division has received 15 cases since its inception in 2006 under the Punjab Consumer Protection Act 2005, it has been learnt.

Located in the posh area of the city away from district courts, the special court receives less complaints against manufacturers about defective products as consumers are less aware of their rights.

The court is also without five necessary staffers— a stenographer, senior and junior clerks, naib Qasid and personal secretary to the judge. Though the court has not received many cases, the shortage of staff is in one way or the other affecting its working.

Khurram Awan advocate said through the act, the Punjab government had provided protection to the consumers and buyers from defective products but the consumer were not fully aware of their rights and could not get legal redress in case of any loss.

The court takes up the complaints from Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal and Jhelum but keeping in view the area, the number of cases clearly vindicated the unawareness of the consumers.

If loss or damage is caused to a consumer by a defective product, he can lodge complaint with the consumer protection authority, the district coordination officer or any other officer delegated with the powers, consumer protection council or can claim damages personally from the consumer court, the lawyer said.

He said the defective product could be faulty in construction or composition, in design and defective either because of inadequate warning or because of non-conformity with warranty.