CS put on notice for implementing consumer protection law

Karachi

The Sindh High Court has issued notices to the Sindh advocate general, the Shindh chief secretary and others on a petition seeking implementation of the Sindh Consumer Protection Act, 2014.

The petition was filed by the Amity International, a non-government organisation (NGO), stated that the consumer protection bill provided and protected the rights and interests of the consumers in Sindh and for such purpose, the consumer courts were supposed to be established to address the complaints of the consumers.

With the exception of Sindh, it said, the consumer courts were functioning in all the other provinces and these courts were dealing with the consumer problems according to the law in their jurisdictions.

It submitted that the city commissioner ought to depute all the deputy commissioners to check the prices and the quality of essential commodities and if they were found defective or expired then cases should be sent to the consumer courts for a trial against accused sellers.

Since the consumer protection laws were implemented, the shopkeepers were selling goods of low and defective quality and on higher prices for which the public at large were suffering and paying exorbitant amount to buy substandard items, it added.

The court was requested to order the relevant authorities to implement the Sindh Consumer Protection Act and establish consumer protection courts in all districts of the province.

After the preliminary hearing of the petition, the court issued notices to the Sindh advocate general and others and called their comments on April 21.

 

Bail plea for Morai

A petition has been filed in the Sindh High Court which requested the court to quash the detention order of detained former chairman of the Fishermen Cooperative Society and a Pakistan People’s Party leader, Nisar Morai, and to release him on bail.

Petitioner Dr Seema Naz, spouse of Nisar Morai, submitted that her husband was unlawfully arrested in Islamabad and six days later, he was detained by the Rangers for 90 days under the anti-terrorism law on March 16 and no access had been provided to the family to meet him during the custody.

She submitted that Morai was suffering from various ailments for which he required proper medical assistance.

She requested the court to set aside the detention order and release Morai on bail and also direct the relevant authorities to give her a compensation of Rs50 million for illegally detaining her husband.

Earlier, Morai, who is said to be a close aide to Sindh’s top politician of the ruling party, was arrested by the Rangers for 90 days for questioning under the anti-terrorism law.

The Rangers’ counsel had submitted before the administrative judge of an anti-terrorism court that the detainee was involved in facilitating target killers, taking extortion money and other crimes that came within the ambit of the Anti-Terrorism Act.