ISLAMABAD - The skyrocketing increase in power tariffs has been again challenged in Islamabad High Court (IHC) here on Tuesday. An earlier constitutional petition questioning the legality of raise in power tariffs was returned by the office of Registrar, IHC, with a number of technical objections. However, petitioner Muhammad Ishfaq Ch, who is the head of Pakistan People's Movement (PPM) refiled the petition after removing the official objections on his plea against the drastic increase of power tariffs. The public interest litigant has made Federation of Pakistan through Ministry of Law and National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) respondents in his plea seeking a cut to the recent increase in power tariffs. Replying on a recent court ruling that barred the respondents from charging any additional tariff in NWFP, the petitioner has asked IHC to issue a stay order restraining NEPRA from charging the consumer according to the increased tariff. Calling it unjust and unfair, the petitioner pleaded that the majority population of country is already forced to live under the poverty line and any further increase in electricity prices is highly unwarranted. Meanwhile, a single bench of IHC issued fresh notices to respondents on a petition calling for an end to the ongoing military offensive against terrorists in Swat, Bajaur and Waziristan Agencies. Federation of Pakistan, Speaker National Assembly, Chairman Senate and Chairman National Security Council as among the respondents in the plea raised by Raja Liaqat, a resident of NWFP. Raja is also seeking a direction from the court for Speaker National Assembly and Chairman Senate to initiate a debate in the Parliament for addressing the severe issues confronting people of NWFP especailly in FATA and Swat.