Felicitating Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on his election as Punjab Chief Minister for a third term, the District Consumer Protection Council (DCPC) on Monday demanded the provincial government to establish a Consumer Protection Complex in Rawalpindi.
The DCPC appreciated Shahbaz Sharif for his initiatives in the past five years to establish consumer courts and councils across the province for protecting consumers’ rights and interests.
Addressing the meeting, DCPC Focal Person Idrees Randhawa highlighted the importance of establishing a consumer complex in the city, saying that it would provide all necessary services under one roof.
He said that the council was a unique department providing counseling, awareness and legal consultancy to consumers about their rights.
Official sources in the council said that the Punjab government set up DCPCs and consumer courts in eleven districts of the province to protect the consumers’ rights.
These institutions are operating under the Punjab Consumer Protection Act (PCPA) 2005 in Lahore, Gujranwala, Sahiwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha, Gujrat, Sialkot, Multan, Bahwalpur, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi where instant and free relief is provided to complainants.
They underlined the need for creating awareness among consumers about their rights and familiarizing them with the complaint filing procedure against companies manufacturing different products, shopkeepers and organizations.
Sources advised consumers to always check manufacturing and expiry dates besides reading ingredients, component parts and instructions on products before purchase.
Buyers should insist for showing products rate list, they said, adding “Always get a receipt for purchased products and hired services.”
In case of violations, consumers should file a complaint with their respective district coordination officer, and in case of the Act’s violation, they should file a claim in the relevant consumer court.
