ISLAMABAD: Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP) welcomes Access to Justice Policy announced by the government, however, CRCP is apprehensive of the possible manipulation and selective enactment of the policy keeping in view the past experiences in this respect.

Previously, Freedom of Information Ordinance (FOI) 1997, was allowed to lapse in order to debar the citizens from having access to information. Similarly, the Consumer Protection Law (CPCL) was enacted for Islamabad and NWFP in 1995 and 1997 respectively, but their rules of business have not been crystallized, and hence, remain dormant without any advantage of the citizens.

CRCP appreciates the policy framework adopted by the present regime to ensure justice and transparency in governance; yet, it urges Government to bring people centric-procedural arrangement in the course of legal enactment and policy implementation, and the procedures should not be titled towards big corporations and public sector establishment.

CRCP presented Model Consumer Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act to the government in March 2000 and 2001 respectively. These Acts have been drafted after the consultation with all the stakeholders. Before finalizing them a comparative analysis of the CPL and FOI legislation in other countries of the world was also undertaken.

In the pursuance of Justice Policy, these proposed Acts based on comparative critique should be consulted to ensure speedy and inexpensive justice. CRCP urges government to take benefit of already proposed Acts and stresses on keeping balance in procedural lay out by giving due importance to common citizens.

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