KARACHI: A sessions court on Friday dismissed an application seeking an FIR against officials of the K-Electric (KE) for carrying out prolonged loadshedding in the metropolis. Applicant Hussan Bano, a lawyer, had filed an application under sections 22-A and 22-B of the CrPC before Additional District and Sessions Judge (West) Sohail Ahmed Mashoori, seeking directives for registration of an FIR and the recording of a statement against the chief executive officer, general manager and director of the KE for excessive loadshedding in Bhutta Village, Masaan, Keamari. On Friday, after hearing both parties, the court dismissed the application on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction as the court could not grant the relief sought by the applicant. However, the court stressed the urgent need for the concerned authorities and the KE to “review their policies with a compassionate lens and take appropriate steps to mitigate the suffering of the affected citizens”. Judge asks power utility to avoid discrimination in loadshedding In its detailed observation, the judge stated: “This court cannot overlook the tremendous suffering endured by citizens subjected to excessive loadshedding, especially in the context of climate change, which has exacerbated the frequency and intensity of heatwaves in the region.” “The residents of these slum areas are facing prolonged periods without electricity, rendering them helpless in dealing with extreme temperatures. The impact of these conditions on children, women and the elderly is devastating, leading to worsened health outcomes, including heatstroke, dehydration and other heat-related illnesses,” the judge added. The court observed: “The ripple effects of sleeplessness and poor health due to loadshedding are detrimental to the overall well-being of the community.” It urged the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) and KE to “take these human factors into account when formulating and implementing loadshedding schedules.” Referring to Article 25, the court noted that the Constitution upholds the fundamental rights of every citizen and ensures that no person or community is subjected to unfair treatment or inequality. “This court hopes that the relevant authorities will honour these conditional guarantees when addressing the grievances of the most vulnerable sections of society,” the judge remarked. Earlier, the applicant submitted before the court that she was a resident of Bhutta Village, Masaan, Keamari. She further stated that the area’s residents were facing continuous loadshedding for 18 to 22 hours. She added that she had contacted the KE through their helpline, but they informed her that there was no loadshedding in their area, and the power outage was due to the non-payment of electricity bills by some residents. The applicant argued that due to the prolonged power outage, residents had been unable to carry out their daily tasks. She also claimed that criminal activities had increased in the area due to power outages.