LAHORE, July 28: Electricity loadshedding during Sehr, Iftar and prayer timings has been challenged before the Lahore High Court.

The Judicial Activism Panel through its chairman Advocate Azhar Siddique challenged the power outages by filing an application with an already pending petition for placing on record the schedule for loadshedding and expenses being incurred on producing the electricity.

The petitioner-lawyer submitted that it was matter of record that a commitment made on behalf of the federal government extended through minister of power that no loadshedding would be observed during Sehr, Iftar and prayers timings.

But, he said, conversely citizens of Punjab were facing severe loadshedding not only during Sehr and Iftar but throughout the day.

He alleged that Wapda through its sister concern companies was collecting electricity bills but did not pay dues to Independent Power Producers and to the companies who were providing furnace oil to them.

The petitioner said the failure of electricity supply in Ramzan was violating the fundamental rights of the citizens as envisaged in the Constitution. He requested the court to enforce fundamental rights and other provisions of the Constitution.

The petitioner prayed that the federal government, Wapda, Pepco, and distribution companies in Punjab should be restrained from observing loadshedding or load management during Sehr, Iftar and prayers timings.

He also prayed that loadshedding or load management schedule across Pakistan and that of housing societies being exempted from loadshedding should be summoned in the interest of justice and fair play to dispel discrimination.