The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has ordered authorities to ensure there is no load shedding during sehri and iftar hours throughout the holy month of Ramadan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The directive came in response to a petition filed against unscheduled electricity outages that were affecting residents during critical fasting hours.
Petition Highlighted Public Hardship
The petition argued that frequent and unannounced power cuts during sehri and iftar were causing significant inconvenience to citizens observing Ramadan. Petitioners requested court intervention to prevent outages during these specific hours.
In its written verdict, the court acknowledged the broader electricity shortfall in the country but emphasized that unscheduled disruptions during religiously significant times must be avoided.
Instructions to PESCO and Relevant Authorities
The court directed the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) and other relevant departments to take immediate steps to prevent load shedding during sehri and iftar.
The bench made it clear that while uninterrupted 24-hour electricity may not be feasible due to national supply constraints, authorities must ensure that outages do not occur during fasting hours.
If power cuts become unavoidable due to technical or system limitations, officials must issue a clear and transparent schedule in advance.
Jurisdiction Argument Addressed
During proceedings, counsel representing the power utility argued that such matters fall under the jurisdiction of the electricity appellate tribunal.
However, the court observed that it could not ignore public grievances related to essential services, particularly during Ramadan, when electricity demand rises during early morning and sunset hours.
Implementation Ahead of Ramadan
The order comes just days before Ramadan is expected to begin in Pakistan. Electricity demand typically increases during sehri and iftar due to cooking, lighting, and household activity.
Residents across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have repeatedly raised complaints about unscheduled outages during these hours in previous years. The court’s directive aims to prevent similar disruptions this Ramadan.
Authorities are now expected to implement the ruling and ensure compliance for the duration of the holy month.