ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday turned down the request to stop the upcoming local government (LG) elections in the federal capital.

IHC division bench, comprising Justice Noorul Haq N.

Qureshi and Justice Aamir Farooq, however, observed that the court would decide all petitions including one file d by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) against the delimitation of the union councils and Islamabad`s Local Government Act 2015 after hearing allstakeholders.

The court on October19had issued notice to the attorney general of Pakistan as one of the petitioners, Raja Shafgat Khan Abbasi, had challenged the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act 2015.

`We had issued notice to the attorney general to appear in this matter or entrust this case to any of his law officers,` said Justice Qureshi, adding that since the attorney generalhad not appeared nor did he nominate any person, the court had to defer the matter till Monday.Deputy Attorney General Asad Rajput told the court that he might represent the attorney general in the case.

The court responded that since the notice was served on the attorney general, any other law officer can appear only after his (attorney general) authorisation.

Shafgat Abbasi requested the court to direct the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to stop the process of LG elections in Islamabad till the final outcome of the petitions.

The court, however, decline d his request saying `we cannot stop this process unless some illegality on the part of the respondents is proved` The petitions cited ECP, delimitation officer and federal government as respondents.

According to PTI`s petition, delimitation would benefit the PML-N and it would give undue advantage to the ruling party.

The court directed the ECP to file comments before next Monday and adjourned the hearing. Staff Reporter