PESHAWAR: The consumer courts are doing well to redress the grievances of people in the province as the one functioning in the provincial capital has decided 400 cases filed against government departments and private firms in a short span of time. As per the official record, about 800 cases were registered with the Peshawar Consumer Court, headed by a Judge Khwaja Wajihuddin. Out of these 400 cases were decided. Many a people, who had approached the court, said their problems were resolved. According to the court’s sources, who wished not to be named, 70 percent of the cases registered with the court pertained to the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco). “Though we mark the Consumer Rights Day on April 14 every year, the funds we receive for publicity and awareness programmes are insufficient,” said an official requesting anonymity. He said they required staff and the existing ones also needed capacity building trainings. The Consumer Court on May 22, this year awarded a seven-day prison sentence to owners of two restaurants and managers of a filling station for overcharging. Industrial development officers of Peshawar and Nowshera raided a number of hotels, restaurants and petrol stations within their jurisdictions. The hotels and petrol stations found overcharging customers were produced before the Consumer Court. During the hearing, Judge Khwaja Wajihuddin sentenced Muhammad Tariq, manager of Safron Filling Station, to seven days in prison for selling petrol and diesel at a higher price fixed by the government. A fine worth Rs30,000 was also imposed on him. Zahid, owner of the CNG station on the Ring Road, was also fined Rs30,000 for charging customers 40 paisas extra for the CNG. Fayyaz, the owner of a new eatery, was jailed for seven days and fined Rs15,000 for selling food items at higher prices. Moreover, Kamran, another restaurant owner, was imprisoned for seven days and fined Rs10,000 for overcharging customers. Though the Consumer Courts are doing well to redress the grievances of the complainants in the provincial capital, a massive drive is needed to create awareness about consumer rights and benefit of the entity. President Peshawar Bar Association, Muhammad Ismail Khalil, said the procedure for turning to Consumer Courts is very simple and any person can contest his case without hiring an attorney. A person who has a problem with service delivery can file an application. The court officials then call the respondents to appear so that grievances can be resolved at the earliest, he explained. The senior lawyer added that the government should launch an awareness campaign through the media and on community level about consumer rights and Consumer Courts. There were 10 courts working in the province while seven more would start working this year. Despite the efficient performance and early disposal of cases by the Consumer Courts, the government has failed to win public confidence for lack of public awareness. Majority of the educated population is even not aware about the function and existence of Consumer Courts. “I don’t know about the Consumer Court whether it exists and how it functions?” Said Jalal Tariq, a citizen. What is Consumer Court? I heard this name for the first time, said Kashif Jan, a student. A citizen said support from the government is needed to promote the court and raise awareness among the people through the media and other ways. The court is dispensing prompt justice and whoever faces any problem in service delivery can approach it,” said an official of the Consumer Court, preferring not to be named.
