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CAP’s
First Award Ceremony Arranged by
Consumers Association of
Pakistan
The
Consumers Association of Pakistan (CAP) held a grand Award
Ceremony to Award Corporate and Services Providers based on
Consumers Choice Survey. This was the first of its kind in
Pakistan and attracted a large number of people. It was an
occasion of double celebrations as CAP launched its website,
requesting the chief guest the Provincial Minister for Sindh
Home Affairs Mr. Rauf Siddiqui to press the key and start the
website www.consumersassociationpk.org
which had been designed and developed by the team of Mr.
Muhammad Naim Patel Sr. Vice Chairman of Consumers Association
of Pakistan. Consumers may now log on to the site to register
their complaints or appreciation for various consumer products
and services available in the market.
The
Chairman of CAP Mr. Kaukab Iqbal along with Senior
members of CAP welcomed the distinguished guests viz. the vice
Consul of China, Chairman SITE Association Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar
Baig, Mohammad Ali Jinnah University President Dr. Abdul Wahab,
the award winners, friends and the media personnel, the Award
Distribution and website launching ceremony.
The
Chairman said the need for the society to campaign for quality
products and hassle free services spearheaded the movement for
establishing an organization for consumer awareness, consumer
protection and consumer rights. The CAP publishes a monthly
magazine that focuses on disseminating information and creating
awareness about branded, non-branded products, registered,
non-registered companies, prices, imitation and substandard
products. The CAP’s objectives are to further “Healthy
Consumerism and a Healthy Relationship” between consumer and
producers and service providers based on trust and understanding
of each others needs.
The
Award, first of its kind, was based on opinions and choice of
consumers gathered by CAP, The website would be the new source
for collecting and analyzing opinions, views and choices of
consumers for the next Award, he said.
The
ceremony was addressed by the honored guests who appreciated CAP
and the effort to create awareness among the public at large
regarding their right to choose and demand quality, healthy
products.
In
all 35 (thirty Five) quality manufacturers and service providers
were awarded. The companies receiving awards from the Minister
were: Addidas for Sport Shoes: New Allied Electronics Industries
Ltd. (LG); Cyber Net, Nestle Pakistan, Dot Print (offset
Printers); Dalda Foods, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, CNG 2000,
Indus Motor, Aero Asia International, Askari Commercial Bank
Ltd, Union Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Hotel Mehran, Sipka
Group of Co. (for VHF/UHF Wireless Radio), Tapal Tea, Exide
Pakistan, Pak Suzuki Motor, Dadex Eternit, Brookes
Pharmaceutical, Hilal Confectionery (for Limo Pani), Mobile Zone
(best Cell Phone Dealers), Epoxy Industry, PSO (Green XL
Premier) SSGC Mabzi International, English Biscuits, Gray
Mackenzi Restaurant (Fried Chicken) Dilpasand Sweets, Habib
Oils, Hinopak Motors, Bashir Siddiqui Logistics (Transport of
Goods), Millat Fan, and Dr. Essa’s Laboratories.
The
consumers in Pakistan have to understand and use their power to
get their rights. They just cannot be the hapless victims of the
whims of the manufacturers.
The
message was given by Rauf Siddiqui, Sindh Home Minister, while
addressing the audience in an award distributing ceremony
arranged by Consumers Association of Pakistan (CAP) here on
Wednesday 27th July,2005.
He
advised the manufacturing companies to engage in healthy
marketing competition. “It will be helpful in producing good
quality goods,” the minister said and added: “ I have not
seen any company liquidated if it adheres to the three
principles; employers making quick payments to their employees.
Keeping their profits to minimum and producing quality products.
He said that these principles have been given in the Holy Quran
and Hadith.
Mr. Rauf Siddiqui also launched the website of the Consumers
Association later in the evening.Details of the website was
explained by Mr Muhammad Naim Patel Sr.Vice Chairman CAP.
Eminent academic professor Dr. Abdul Wahab on the Occasion said
that consumerism was a weak spot in our society. “ The problem
is that we are waiting for some Messiah to come and cure us of
our malady” he commented.
“But
the wait is useless as no Messiah will come, consumers have to
fight for their rights themselves,” Dr. Wahab said with
conviction.
He
expressed his anguish about the two challenges faced by the
consumers in Pakistan. “Consumer cannot rival the resources
available to the producers. It results in the ineffectiveness of
the consumers’ voice. Another obstacle is the big business
mafia. They govern the consumer market with impunity without
fear of check and balance from an quarter.
These
failures for the consumer breeds frustration in them, Dr. Wahab
said, Adding; “This dissatisfaction among consumers has two
hazards; Loss of credibility of the consumers in their
country’s products and poor quality products giving way to the
use of foreign goods;”
Charging
high prices are the undeniable fact and they seldom come down.
Producers make non-plausible excuses and get away without any
punitive action,” he continued.
Dr.
Wahab showed his utter surprise and sorrow when he said that
presently we were even importing shalwar Qameez from China.
Site
Association Chairman Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig thought that
Consumers Association had not influenced the manufacturers
sufficiently to get a fair deal for the consumers. He stressed
that the consumer should know their rights.
Ikhtiar
Baig called about a consumer group that was formed a couple of
years ago. “That group worked exclusively for the consumers’
rights in the KESC. It was an active group and 248 cases were
decided in the Favour of the consumers.”
He
suggested that CAP should have a legal support cell to fight for
the consumers’ issues at the highest forum and also urged the
association to hold more seminars and offered his site
association’s help in sponsoring such seminars.
Kaukab
Iqbal of the CAP apprised the audience about the awards given to
the 35 Companies. These awards, according to him, were given to
the companies, which produced quality products and gave
exceptional services to the consumers.
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