March 13, 2005

Islamabad: Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP) organized 7th national walk to commemorate World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), which is observed all over the world on March 15, every year. The walk started at 11:00 a.m. at the Faisal Chowk and ended at the Faisal Mosque. Several civil society organizations, social activists and large numbers 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 the significance of WCRD and problems being faced by the consumers in Pakistan. He spoke about the unjustified increase in prices of petroleum and gases and its spiral impact on consumer items and utilities, supply of poor quality of water by civic agencies, absence of adequate complaint redressal and rising environment degradation. He emphasized the need for an effective and 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 consumer interests and rights and would leave no stone unturned for this cause.

Addressing the participants of the walk, Mr. Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Secretary General Tehrik-e-Sarif Pakistan, spoke about the bleak picture of citizen rights in Pakistan. He said that consumers were always vulnerable to neglect, and suffer due to corruption, malpractices and inefficiencies of public sector and market forces.

Mazhar Siraj, Research Fellow CRCP, highlighted the theme of WCRD which is “Consumers Say No to GMOs (Genetic Modified Organisms). He told that genetic modification of food and crops was a new technology which poses many ethical, environmental and biological questions that could not be answered even by advanced technological regimes. He said that health of consumers should be protected and safeguarded against the onslaught of the irresponsible corporate practices.

Mazhar Siraj demanded a ban on import of genetic modified foods and seeds until and unless a stringent regulatory mechanism like compulsory labeling, safety and ensured alternatives to GM foods is in place. He also demanded the implementation of biosafty guidelines and enactment of comprehensive consumer protection laws.