Karachi: 14th Food Safety and Quality Conference 2023 was organised by Consumer Association of Pakistan (CAP). Chief Guest was Sindh Secretary Food Sindh Raja Khurram Shahzad Umar.

Chairman Consumers Association of Pakistan Kaukab Iqbal, Malaysian Consul General Harmain Hardiyanata Ahmed, Naheed Supermarket Director Munsab Abrar and Samra Munsab Director Samrah Enterprises among attendees. Chairperson Women’s Wing and others were present. Raja Khurram Umar said CAP should also be represented in Sindh Food Authority because Consumer Association has been working for rights of consumer since long and its slogan is ‘Jaag Saarif Jaag’. He said that there is need to solve consumer problems all over world. He said that seminars, walks and festivals should be held to educate consumers about their rights so that consumers can get full awareness about food.

Kaukab Iqbal said that purpose of Association is to provide awareness to consumer about their rights Because consumers buy items from shops and stalls just because they are cheaper, which is very harmful to their health. He said that consumers do not see expiry date of items while purchasing them nor do they get bill from shopkeeper, which is reason shopkeeper does not pay full taxes to government. Kaukab said that people who play with human lives are national criminals, they should be severely cracked down on in whole country and they should be punished according to law.

Fake medicines are also sold and they should be punished according to law. He said that in addition to slums across country, fake medicines millions of rupees worth Rs were being sold. People are suffering from malnutrition, including number of innocent children.

Herman Hardinata Ahmad said that services rendered by CAP for rights of consumers are commendable. There is large market which can be scaled up. Most of consumers in Pakistan do not have information about their rights for which consumers need to self-educate. Mansab Abrar said that Naheed Supermarket is second largest institution in Pakistan implementing principles of food safety, which has been established for 50 years. Naheed Supermarket sells quality products to customers. He said that there is need to work against mafia that manufactures substandard and harmful health products and sells them in markets.  Tahseen Ahmed Qazi said that Gotham Institute is providing quality food preparation training to boys and girls so that they can become good chefs and prepare and sell food products in accordance with health norms.

Javed Ahmed Chhattari said that Kaukb Iqbal loves common consumer. All products should be of standard, consumers do not have to compromise. After that Sindh Food Authority was established while 26 consumer courts have been established across Sindh. Head of Department Q&N Flavours Muhammad Azam Khan, Tahseen Ahmed Qazi Director Operation COTHM, Vice President Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Council Sindh Advocate Javed Ahmed Chhatari were also in attendance.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 10 2023

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