LAHORE: The Punjab Consumer Protection Councils (PCPCs) have resolved several consumer complaints involving fraudulent sales, withheld security deposits, defective products and lost parcels within 10 to 20 days.
Secretary Food Safety and Consumer Protection Dr Kiran Khurshid told media on Tuesday that the councils, along with the Directorate General of Enforcement and relevant departments, were actively working to ensure transparent market practices, protect consumer rights and take action against violations in accordance with the law.
Dr Kiran Khurshid said the Consumer Protection App was also facilitating citizens in lodging complaints and obtaining relief without interruption.
Sharing examples of complaint resolution, she said the District Consumer Protection Council (DCPC) Gujranwala had secured a full refund for a citizen who was sold 18-carat gold instead of 22-carat gold. The complaint was resolved within 15 days.
In Okara, the Consumer Protection Council recovered Rs 600,000 from Habib Bank Limited after a complaint that the bank’s Connect franchise had failed to return a security deposit. The amount was refunded to the consumer within 10 days.
Similarly, a student’s security fee was returned within 20 days following the council’s intervention after KIPS College failed to refund the amount upon completion of the student’s education.
In another case, the Consumer Protection authorities recovered a missing mobile phone parcel within 14 days following a complaint against courier company MandP over negligence.
The Consumer Protection Council Lahore also facilitated the replacement of a mobile phone worth Rs 41,000 following a complaint by consumer Ahmad Manzoor against Lahore Mobile.
In a separate case, the council ensured the provision of a new mobile phone worth Rs 65,000 to Rida Zainab against a defective handset supplied by Tecno. The council also secured a replacement LED television worth Rs18,000 for a consumer named Azam after a complaint regarding the sale of a substandard product by a shopkeeper, Asad Ali.
Moreover, a consumer recovered Rs125,000 from Ten Fitness and Sports following a complaint concerning a machine.
Dr Kiran Khurshid said the relevant departments had been directed to adopt coordinated measures to safeguard consumer interests. She added that action against violations would continue without discrimination in accordance with the law.