Consumer law regulates the relationship between consumers and the sellers of the products and services consumers use. To protect the rights of the consumer, the Federal and Provincial governments have introduced the consumer Laws under the following Acts:
The Islamabad Consumer Protection Act, 1995
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Consumer Protection Act, 1997
The Baluchistan Consumer Protection Act, 2003
The Punjab Consumers Protection Act, 2005
Consumer Protection Bill in 2015
The federal and provincial governments have also laid the foundation of the district consumer courts whose responsibility is to protect the rights and to create awareness regarding their rights.
Scope of Consumer Law
The consumer law offers scope in the following areas:
The law is for consumer disputes at the district level
The law applies to all goods and services
It covers all sectors, i.e., public, private, or sole proprietor
The law provides for relief and compensation to the consumer as suitable
Consumer courts have the power to levy penalty in terms of fine and imprisonment to the defaulters for non-compliance of court’s orders
When to apply in consumer court
A consumer can apply in the consumer court if:
Selling of bad quality, illegal or expired product in the market
If the shopkeeper does not provide a receipt
If the rate list of items is not displayed
Complaint against the warranty of any purchased product
If manufacturing date, ingredients and expiry date are not mentioned on the packaging
False advertisement regarding any product
Poor service experience by a government or private service organization/employee
Lack of clear policy concerning the purchase and return of a product.
How to apply
To make a petition about a product or service in the consumer court, you need a written document mentioning the following information:
Name, CNIC number and address of the petitioner
Essentials of the respondent(s);
Copy of the legal notice
Details of the damages and claims
Documentary proof (e.g. receipt) etc.
Relief pursued
Affidavit of the Complainant
Complaint through DCO
A consumer can also contact District consumer protection councils regarding any claim against a good or service. All District Co-ordination officers (DCO’s) have been given authority to listen to the complaints and respond respectively. Although, if a consumer wants compensation, he/she should file a petition in the Consumer Court.
Our services
Our team of competent online lawyers assists with consumer rights and petitions in the consumer court. We offer the following services:
Drafting the complaint
Processing the complaint
Queries regarding consumer rights
We offer free legal advice online regarding any issue related to consumer rights. You can contact us through filling a form below, and your competent lawyers in Pakistan will contact you as soon as possible.