Guide
I paid for something in Pakistan
and did not get what I paid for
A car repair that was never done, a course that did not exist, a phone that broke in a week, a builder who took the money and stopped. For these there is a consumer court, and it is meant to be simpler than an ordinary case. This page shows how it works and what an advocate does for you from abroad.
Where this applies This page covers goods or services bought in Pakistan from a trader or a provider. Consumer protection is provincial. Punjab has consumer courts and a council; other provinces have their own arrangements, and an advocate confirms which applies.
What this is about
The consumer route starts with a notice, not with a case. The trader is told in writing what was wrong and given a short time to put it right. If nothing happens, the complaint goes to the consumer court for the district. The court can order the money back, the goods replaced or repaired, and compensation for the loss. There is no court fee for filing, and a consumer can file without an advocate, though from abroad that is rarely practical.
The route is for ordinary purchases. A large investment, a plot in a housing scheme, or money handed to a friend for a business is not a consumer matter; see the pages on fraud and on recovery.
What has to be in place
What has to be clear.
What you bought, from whom, and what was promised: the receipt, the advertisement, the messages.
What went wrong, and when you found out. Time matters.
What you want: the money back, the thing fixed, or compensation.
Note Your advocate confirms which of these apply to your case.
The documents you will be asked for
The papers the court asks for.
- The receipt or invoice, and any warranty.
- The advertisement or the agreement that said what you would get.
- Photographs, messages, and a record of what you paid.
- The notice you sent, and proof it was delivered.
How an advocate helps from where you are
What an advocate does.
- Tells you whether it is a consumer matter, or something bigger.
- Sends the notice in the form the law requires, and keeps proof of delivery.
- Files the complaint in the right district and appears for you.
- Has the order enforced, which is where most complaints actually get their money.
What to ask before you agree
- Is this a consumer matter, or something bigger?
- What must the notice say, and how do we prove it was delivered?
- Once there is an order, how is it enforced?
- What do you need from me, and by when?
- What is your fee, and what is not included in it?
More in Money
Someone owes me money and will not payMoney
I have been cheated out of moneyMoney
A cheque bounced, or my bank account is stuckMoney
Also relevant
Words you will meet
- consumer court
- The court that hears complaints about goods and services.
- legal notice
- The written warning to the trader that comes before the complaint.
- deficiency
- The court’s word for a service that was not what was promised.
Sources
Official pages read on 11 September 2026. The page says only what these say, and what an advocate does; nothing specific to your case.
Checked
11 September 2026
Pakistan. Sources listed at the end of the page.