Islamabad: Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP) organized 5th National walk to commemorate the World Consumer Rights Day, which is observed all over the world on March 15 every year. The walk started at 10:30 a.m. at the Faisal Chowk and ended at the Faisal Mosque. Several civil society organizations and a large number of people from different walks of life participated in the walk.

CRCP Secretary General, Mian Abrar Hafeez, while addressing the participants at the end of the walk, highlighted numerous problems being faced by consumers in Pakistan such as rising prices of consumer items and utilities, substandard goods, low quality services, spurious drugs, supply of poor quality water by civic agencies and absence of adequate complaint redressal forums. He emphasized the need for a strong consumer movement, which could engage with market as well as government to promote their interests. He said that CRCP was actively involved in articulating consumers to assert their legitimate rights and protect their interests.

Mr. Nadeem Aslam Choudhry, Secretary General Tehrik-e-Sarif Pakistan, also addressed the walk participants. He said that consumers were vulnerable to neglect and inefficiencies of the public sector and malpractices of market. They are provided with low quality and unsafe products and services. Such problems aggravate due to absence of instructional structures. He emphasized that the government should become responsive to consumer interests and sensitize the public and private sectors on consumer interests. Mr. Shahid of Rehbar Development Foundation Rawalpindi also addressed the walk participants and emphasized the need for greater awareness among consumers about their rights.