Sindh government is likely to bring Consumer Protection (CP) bill in the provincial assembly for enforcement of consumer rights in the province. This was stated by Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro at the 4th Consumers Food Safety and Quality Conference 2012 which was organised by Consumers Association of Pakistan (CAP) as the chief guest. He said that the present government had established the Ministry of Food Safety to ensure the provision of quality food to the masses and to avoid adulteration in products. “I will try my best for approval of CPB in the provincial assembly and cooperation of the departments concerned would prove fruitful,” he added.
He said the draft of CPB had already been prepared along with collaboration with the departments concerned and the stakeholders. “The draft bill is lying under provincial law department which would be presented in Sindh Assembly after approval of provincial cabinet shortly,” the speaker asserted.
“The countries around the world are paying special attention to food safety but the citizens of Pakistan are in trouble due to increasing adulteration in the food products, he said, adding that the government has instructed the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) for stamping of Hilal food on all meat products for promotion of export but the companies involved in the business are not cooperating with the provincial government.” “Due to the negligence of the meat producing companies, Pakistan has limited space in the world markets for its Hilal food products,” the speaker observed.
“If we do not care about proper certification of our products then we will be left behind in the world’s markets,” he noted. Sharing his personal experience he said, “I am a landlord too and I can say with full confidence that red pepper is supplied to the market in its pure form but it is beyond my thinking how manufacturers adulterated red bricks during the processing of powder red pepper. He apprised the participants that people living in the villages are using that water for consumption which is consumed by animals too. “After provincial assembly legislation, it was made possible that the producers of mineral water mention ingredients present in water outside the bottle which helped the government to avoid adulteration in the drinking water,” he added.
Addressing on the occasion, S M Muneer, a leader of business community, said that the consumers were suffering in Sindh but the government had failed to arrest the people involved in adulteration due to lack of proper legislation. “The nations become ‘Asian Tigers’ after implementing on consumers rights but in Pakistan there is very little enforcement of consumer laws,” he observed. The government needs to take stern action against the people involved in adulteration, he stressed, adding that provision of clean drinking water and healthcare facilities should be top priorities of the government. The government has departments to ensure enforcement of consumer laws but there is need of people who run these departments effectively. “I assure full cooperation of traders’ community in this regard,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, CAP Chairman Kaukab Iqbal stressed the need for the establishment of ‘Food Council’ at government’s level in which all stakeholders work for provision of quality food to the citizens. He lauded the services of food technologists in the country and appealed the government to award Sitara-e-Imtiaz to the prominent food technologists. He said Karachi has 18 million population but there is only one Chief Food Inspector (CFI) and 17 Food Inspectors (FI). He said the number of FIs should be increased up to 100-150 to ensure provision of quality food to the consumers of the city.
“From the onset of 21st century, there is huge debate on food safety in Pakistan but there is no implementation of consumers law in the country, he said, adding that the government has suggested 25 years imprisonment for the people involved in adulteration in 2003 through amendment in Pure Food Act but it was not implemented as yet.
Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) Director General (DG) Iftikhar Ahmed Soomro said that all private companies are cooperating with the council in regard of food safety because it is a very sensitive issue which should be resolved at war-footing basis. Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Senior Director Dr A D Sanjnani felicitated CAP for organizing the conference. He said that the country’s Pure Food Act is not applicable now and there is dire need of amendments in this act. He said that this act is copy of old Indian food act and there is a need of amendments in this act to bring it with modern lines. In the end of the conference, CAP Chairman Punjab Arif Ansari thanked guest for sparing their valuable time to discuss the sensitive issue of food safety in Pakistan. He also thanked the participants of the conference for listening the speakers patiently.
