Rawalpindi: Ever heard of Consumer Protection Council?

[Naveed Yaseen]

Malik Ayub Sumbal
The District Consumer Protection Council has not been able to fully exploit its potential since its inception due to lack of mass awareness about consumer rights as well as limited powers of those appointed as authorities in it.

The Council was established in 2006 in Rawalpindi city, but since then, only 55 cases have been filed by the city consumers to date that have been counselled by the appointed legal advisers, providing relief to the complainants in maximum cases referred to the consumer court.

Assistant Director District Consumer Protection Council Adnan Karim while talking to ‘The News’ said, “There is lack of awareness among the masses about their rights due to which they are being exploited by poor quality product manufacturers in shape of substandard commodities.” He said it is the consumers’ basic right to purchase quality and standardised products and in case they end up with a faulty product, they must contact us to fight for their rights.

Adnan said that maximum people do not even know that this department of consumer rights protection exists. “We are raising awareness about the Council among the masses through pamphlets, banners and other printed material, as well as organising workshops in various schools and colleges to aware the students about this important right,” he added.

Apart from consumers’ low awareness level, the lack of resources coupled with limited powers of the assistant director appointed in the consumer council often result in time wastage and is a major hurdle in the counselling process. “We do not have the authority to send legal notices to the alleged persons in the consumer protection cases and need to take permission from the DCO that takes time. These powers should be given to us, so that we can effectively render legal counselling to maximum consumers,” Adnan Karim said.

The Council also has a committee comprising nine non-elected volunteer members, appointed for a duration of three years, who must refer a substantial number of affected consumers to this office. But these members have not shown any interest towards the matter and according to the assistant director, have never referred any affected person to the Council.

Consumers, whose cases have been solved by this department, expressed satisfaction over the process and the Council staff’s efforts. Bushra Ahmed, who won one such consumer case through this Council said, “Consumers must contact this department in case of any problem related to consumer rights protection, as the Council fights for their legal rights.”

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=178500