Directive to create consumers rights awareness

LAHORE:Secretary Industry and Commerce, Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi has ordered officials to create awareness among consumers about their rights and speedy disposal of claims with effective service delivery.

The instructions were issued in a virtual review session chaired by the secretary along with Mahmood Ahmad Bhatti, Director, Consumer Protection Council, Punjab, on the progress and capacity building of district officers, Registrars, District Consumer Courts and Assistant Directors (Legal), District Consumer Protection Councils. All participants of district formation were strictly directed to follow office timings and ensuring their availability for the consumers for legal assistance and guidance. Moreover, instructions were given to all officers to display the specimen legal notice along with guidelines at prominent places in their offices. They were directed to be prepared to attend surprise calls and random meetings by the secretary office to check their readiness and seek viable suggestions in terms of improvement and smooth applicability of the Punjab Consumer Protection Act with tangible outcome. Addressing the meeting, Qazi said that the Consumer Courts and Consumer Protection Council are playing an effective role in protecting the rights of consumers. Now the consumer can file a complaint online sitting at home. He directed that the officers should play their role in educate the consumers about their rights and the officers should perform their duties in a better way to provide the consumers with immediate justice. Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi said that officials’ attendance should be ensured their performance would be monitored. Along with this, the series of online meetings will continue to improve the performance of the officers.

Director Consumer Protection Council Mahmood Ahmad Bhatti gave a detailed briefing about the working and affairs of the institution. The provincial secretary was told that 50,772 cases were registered in the District Consumer Courts and 48,010 cases disposed of; 49,161 cases were registered in the Consumer Protection Council so far while 40,695 cases were decided. Along with this, Consumer Protection Council has imposed fines of more than Rs31 million while processing public complaints.

The session was concluded with the commitment from the participants/officers to take practical measures for continuous betterment reviewing performance through arrangements of subsequent sessions onward.