Lahore High Court Rejects Petition on Unscheduled Power and Gas Load Shedding, Imposes Fine

Lahore:The Lahore High Court has dismissed a petition regarding unscheduled electricity and gas load shedding, terming it vague, unsubstantiated, and not maintainable, and has imposed a fine on the petitioner.

Justice Khalid Ishaq issued a detailed 15-page judgment in the case related to unannounced power and gas outages.

The court imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on the petitioner for approaching the court without first seeking remedy from the relevant forums.

The judgment stated that the petitioner had access to appropriate administrative and regulatory bodies but failed to utilize them before filing the petition. It also noted that no credible evidence or proper grounds were presented regarding load shedding, tariffs, transmission losses, or broader energy policy issues.

The court observed that complex energy sector problems fall within the domain of executive and regulatory authorities, and not routine judicial intervention unless fundamental rights are clearly violated.

The ruling further emphasized that public interest litigation is an important legal tool but must be used responsibly, warning against misuse driven by publicity or malicious intent.

The court also noted that the certificate submitted by the petitioner claiming prior use of alternative forums was found to be false.

The petitioner has been directed to deposit the Rs100,000 fine in the Lahore High Court Bar Dispensary and submit proof of payment to the Deputy Registrar within 45 days.