LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday sought a reply from the federal government on a petition challenging a decision of outsourcing three airports of the country.

A citizen, Mahmood Akhtar Naqvi, filed the petition pleading that the government decided to outsource administrative control of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad airports.

He said the decision of privatisation of civil aviation and airports was illegal and amounted to jeopardise national security.

He pointed out that civil association employees had also been protesting against the decision.

The petitioner asked the court to set aside the impugned decision of the federal government and stop outsourcing of the airports.

After hearing the initial arguments, Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh directed the government to submit its reply within three weeks.