Daily Times

Sir: This is with reference to Dr Saleem Ali’s article “Advertising prosperity”. (Daily Times, January 31) I completely agree with Dr Ali that advertising billboards are not only tacky, ugly additions to the cities’ skylines, they are also misleading. There has been extensive debate over decades about the ethics of advertising in the West. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, we are quite some way off developing a similar code of conduct. Therefore, shiny advertisements throw all sorts of tempting deals at us while keeping us in the dark about the fine print. While it is also the responsibility of the consumer to ensure that he is aware of the product, it is also the responsibility of the supplier and seller to provide the necessary information to help consumers make the best choice.

Consumer courts have been set up in Pakistan, and some of them have been providing relief to aggrieved consumers. However, their operations can only lead to greater success of the entire set up, including consumers, advertisers and regulators, adopts a strict code of ethics.
SHAHID KHAN
Islamabad