Civil society representatives demand establishment of consumer courts

Law passed in Febuary 2015 has yet to be implemented

KARACHI: At a press conference on Wednesday, civil society representatives demanded the government implement the Sindh Consumer Protection Act, 2014 and set up consumer courts without any delay.

Addressing a joint press conference at the Karachi Press Club, Justice (retd) Majida Rizvi and Helpline Trust Chairperson Hameed Maker said the assembly had passed the law in February 2015, but it has yet to be implemented. "The objectives of the law are to promote the rights of consumers by redressing their complaints, but [it has all gone] in vain," Maker said, adding that the skyrocketing  prices of vegetables have made lives of poor miserable but no authority is taking notice of it.

Maker added that in Punjab the consumer courts have been setup in 11 districts where complaints about various products being used by consumers can be filed by just writing an application. "Without consumer courts, this law is ineffective," he asserted.



The rights activist added that every manufacturer or trader is supposed to issue the purchaser a receipt showing the date, description and batch number of goods sold and original retail price. However, this never happens, he lamented.

Shedding light on the prevalent fraudulent practices, Maker said that many manufacturers and wholesalers play havoc with the health and lives of consumers as they refill empty bottles and tins of branded products with fake material to cheat consumers but no action on the part of government is being taken.

He referred to a recent survey which revealed that the government is also losing billions of rupees every year in the form of non-realisation of taxes and excise duties as the manufacturers of spurious and counterfeit products are obviously not registered.



Rizvi was of the view that after the establishment of the consumer courts, the people of Sindh would be protected as they would receive quality products and services that are according to the specifications on the receipts or labels.  "I hope that members of consumer protection council will be selected on merit," she said.