Protecting consumer rights

It is surprising, but true that Sindh is this country's only province which is yet to enact consumer protection laws. Speaking at the "6th Consumer Choice Award" in Karachi the other day, President of the Consumer Association of Pakistan demanded that like the other three provinces, Sindh must also put into place consumer protection laws.
It hardly needs saying that consumer rights ought to be safeguarded against unsafe products and price overcharging. People must also be given the opportunity to make informed buying decisions, and in the case of substandard/spurious products/services to claim compensation.
Unfortunately, however, the scourge of second-rate and counterfeit products is common in the other provinces as well. It is just as widespread in food items, beverages and medicines as it is in toiletries and every other imaginable consumer product. Another growing menace is the lack of control on advertisements that quacks place in the media, claiming to cure incurable diseases, and thus hoodwinking uneducated, innocent people.
The concerned authorities obviously do not maintain any check on such unscrupulous activities. Also, Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) is not playing its role effectively enough, with the result that the export sector too has seen some embarrassing order suspensions and import bans.
Admittedly, though, a large majority of consumer products are not even registered with the PSQCA, and therefore, it cannot be blamed for many of the fake products being sold everywhere. Provincial governments need to find a way of ensuring that nothing is sold without passing the requisite quality test.
The news though is not all bad. The consumer courts established in all the major cities of Punjab, for instance, are giving relief to more and more people. Complainants are going to these courts, not only against purveyors of fake products, but also services. To quote a recent example from Lahore, a student attending a tuition centre that advertised 'guaranteed success' failed to succeed in his exam.
He approached the relevant consumer court to claim damages and received a favourable judgement. However, not many people are aware of the existence of consumer protection laws and the redress mechanism. The concerned authorities must run awareness campaigns about the dangers inherent in the use of fake products and services as well as the availability of redress. Equally important, private consumer protection groups ought to organise better.
In the case of Sindh, the government has to act urgently to bring in the necessary legislation. The least it needs to do is to try and catch up fast with the other provinces. The Consumers Rights Commission of Pakistan must also play a more proactive role than it has to fulfil its responsibility towards the public.