6th Consumers Food Saftey and Quality Conference 2013 held

Karachi, October 22, 2013 (PPI-OT): Government should form a ministerial task force and an experts’ advisory council on urgent basis to ensure the rights of consumers across the province related to food safety and quality and price control.

This was stated by Sharjeel Inam Memon, Sindh Minister for Information, Archive, Commerce and Industries while speaking at 6th Consumers Food Saftey and Quality Conference (CFSQC) 2013 held here on Tuesday under the auspices of Consumers Association of Pakistan (CAP).

Speaking as a chief guest, he said that economic growth and prosperity are linked to the consumers’ rights and their freedom of choice for using products of different qualities. The consumers should be ensured to have access to quality products and foods which is related to their health and lives.

On the other hand, the protection to genuine businessmen and their brands in the country is indispensable to attract investment from country to international level, he added.

Sindh Minister urged NGO’s and think tank of consumers right to help government in the formation of task force and experts’ advisory council for protection of consumers’ rights, directing CAP for supporting provincial government to ensure consumers’ fundamental rights.

Memon said an exclusive bill will be tabled soon by the parliamentarians in Sindh Assembly for taking action against companies which are unregistered and non-compliant of hygienic standards for producing food products.

The provincial government is committed to facilitate businessmen community and industries through conducive policies and environment, urging that the federal government should play its role to reduce cost of production through taxes.

The daylong conference has been addressed by S M Munir, Chairman Din Group and leader of business community. Abu Bakar Mamat, Consuel General Malaysia, Gulzar Firoz President FPCCI, Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, Mian Zahid Hussain, President Pakistan Business and Intellactual Forum, Asad Alam Mahani, Director General Punjab Food Authority, Pir Buksh Khan Jamir, DG PSQCA, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Commissioner Karachi.

It has been supported by Malaysian Palm Oil Council while PSQCA and Punjab Food Authority are the strategic Partners. Shezan International Limited, Dalda, Bhombal Group, Shan, A and S Oil and Habib Oil Mills (Pvt.) Ltd. are the Cause Partner and TCS is the supportive partner of the event.

Kukab Iqbal, Chairman CAP said that Sindh Government must ensure the protection of consumers’ rights through laws and legislations as the provincial government has been observed as weak for law enforcement through Consumers Act though the situation is comparatively better in three other provinces of the country.

He said that government’s writ and revenues will be flourished with the protection of business and consumers fundamental rights in the province.

Iqbal assured Sindh Minister for his all out efforts in constituting council on consumers’ rights and task force on consumers’ rights. Different NGO’s, university teachers and experts will also cooperate government in recommending its policy framework, he added.

The conference highlighted various issues of consumers’ protection, their health and standards of edible products being sold out in various consumers markets of Pakistan. It envisions assembling experts of consumers protectionists, health and products standards under one roof to raise issues with participants and policymakers regarding the violation of consumers rights and its disadvantages to society.

Distingiushed speakers of the conference included Dr Prof Jehan Ara, Chairperson Food Science and Technology, University of Karachi, Dr Abdual Jabbar Sheikh, DG Health Regulation and Quality Control, KMC, Ms Tahseen S Bhombal, Director Bhombal Group, Faisal Iqbal, Regional Manager of Malaysian Palm Oil Council and others.

For more information, contact:
Hadi Bilgrami
Media Manager – CAP
Consumers Association of Pakistan
Suite 709, Land Mark Plaza,
Muhammad Bin Qasim Road, I.I. Chundrigar Road,
Karachi 74200 – Pakistan
Cell: 0333-3139692
Tel: +9221 263 9729 and 30
Fax: +9221 263 9740
Email: cap@net.ngo.com