It is true that in the age of materialism, man is using permissible and inappropriate tactic to make money, but civilized nations remain active in protecting the rights of their people. They make enforce laws strictly through which the supervisors it is prevented from earning wealth through illegal means. From big general stores to furniture stores, AC companies to car manufacturing companies, telecom companies to general tire shops, no one cares about consumer rights.
Big companies run ads and offer all sorts of discounts. What happens if you take one and half ton AC and install it from the same company and two days later it breaks out. Companies will tell you this broken AC will not return or replace but repair same AC. We consumers buy something worth thousands and millions and then pray that there is no fault because it has to rush to replace or repair company. General public seems to be crying for justice at the press clubs, but they are not appreciated. Often, the police give the protesters asking for justice in such a way that they shiver when they think about it. In Pakistan, shopping malls, canteens of institutions, parking points, railway stations, entertainment Venues, offices, education sectors, hotels are being charged more than printed retail price of items. Call this ugly act a trend or a routine, but such dishonest traders are question mark and is now a nuisance.
Every small and big shopkeeper in the country is engaged in all kinds of looting with consumers. When you go to the market, you do not understand which product can be original and what is its real price?. For example, in the market, in the same plaza, the prices of the same item are so different that the person gets dizzy. Every shopkeeper has uttered the same phase, “My goods are the best and of high quality, what you bought from them I will give you a lower price if you buy from me. Just look what was bought!” He changes so many angles of his face when he shows up that the customer starts cursing himself inside that he does not know if he has committed a sin by buying this thing or he has gone into deficit? In this age of oppression and inflation, not only the poor are miserable, but the middle-class people are very fed up.
Artificial colors and sweetness are injected in fruit. At night, the nonsensical fruit sellers fool the simple people by putting red light on apples, green on grapes, yellow on melons. That fruit is ripe to its best taste and color. As soon as helpless people take it home by hands of injustice, it is not only raw but also tasteless in the terms of taste. Mostly n low-cost food streets or substandard Dhaba’s rotten food is served to people by applying hot pepper spices to reduce its odor. Chili spices and fermented tartaric acid cause blisters in mouth. Imagine what will happen to food pipe and stomach? Meat is filled with water through pressure so that it feels heavier. The consumer provides the butcher with the required amount but when cooking the water not only reduces the amount of meat but also its details decrease. In markets stale and spoiled vegetables are sold at high prices. If complained, the shopkeeper points to the rate list hung in his shop. If anything comes out to be defective, there is no concept of return. Executioner shopkeeper pasted a note outside the shop saying “purchased goods will not be returned and exchanged”. This sentence suggests forcing on poor buyer becomes a picture of compulsion.
Intercity buses, taxis, rickshaw drivers charge fare as they wish. Bus fares are doubled on eid and other festivals. God’s wrath we commit such acts and then call ourselves Muslims. Islam has made it clear for the best principles of trade till the day of judgment that poor and substandard goods will not be sold and if sold in ignorance will have to be taken back.
To me, ethics should be aside. To resolve this problem, the relationship between the people and the bureaucracy must be further strengthened on a coherent basis. Local residents can submit applications to deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner, police officers of their areas to resolve the complaints. More over public can turn to consumer court. Where disputes are resolved timely as well as their interests are protected. Consumers right are the sum of eight things including satisfaction, safety, choice, information, a healthy environment and the right to be heard and reconciled in case of a complaint.
Readers! In today’s time, it’s not the poor who is helpless, the helpless is the one who does not have awareness of his rights. If you buy something with your hard earned. The thing is either expired or its quality is never what you were shown or told e.g., medicines, electronics, fabric etc, you can go to “consumer court” against the required shopkeeper or company. You will get extremely low expenses. Court is bound to do justice to the consumer. Only condition is that you have the “receipt”. Simple write a petition on paper and inform the shopkeeper on the company that his loss should be compensated otherwise he will take the matter to court.
The result is that price control committees should be an active role in determining prices so the domination of profiteers will end from the market. In short, the law should be abolished because the protection of the rights of consumer is primary responsibility of the government. Consumers should be given their legitimate rights in the state. Such councils should be formed under the consumer protection act which will prove helpful in providing relief to consumers. Consumers organizations in the country say that if consumers unite for their rights and stop buying expensive items, sales of inferior goods can be controlled to some extent. Campaigns should be run on print, electronic and social media to inform consumers of their rights and responsibilities in order to protect the lives and resources of citizens.
