The Lahore High Court (LHC) Thursday sought a reply from the federal government on two separate petitions pertaining to load shedding and inflation, as the country continues to face long-hour power cuts. Judicial Activism Panel filed the two petitions on load shedding and inflation, which were taken up by Justice Shahid Karim. The petitions were filed amid reports that the energy shortfall across the country had risen to 7,000MW. Justice Karim noted it was being said that the energy crisis would end by July. He addressed Advocate Azhar Siddique, counsel for the petitioner, and said: “Why is it that all your pleas are fixed before my court?” The lawyer replied, “This is a case of public interest. What can I say?” He added that there were court decisions pertaining to matters taken up today and “somehow, these things need to be fixed”. “This is why it is said that decisions should not be issued on such matters,” Justice Karim remarked. At that, the lawyer urged the court to “ask the government what has to be done about inflation,” says a news report. “This inflation is spreading across the world. A food crisis is looming now,” the judge observed. “What can be done in this entire cycle?” The lawyer drew Justice Karim’s attention to a previous case pertaining to smog and said that the judge had “highlighted a number of things related to the environmental issue”. “It will be good if work on this (pleas under consideration) progress alongside,” he added. Following that, the judge summoned replies from the federal government on power cuts and the Punjab government on inflation. The hearing was then adjourned for two weeks.