An 11-member bench of Pakistan's high court in Islamabad on Wednesday approved application for a full-court hearing of the petitions challenging the candidacy of General Pervez Musharraf, the incumbent president, to contest the presidential election held on October 6.

The high court decision Wednesday means that the hearing will be delayed till a full court is constituted.

Pakistan's Attorney General (AG) Malik Muhammad Qayyum expressed conservation over the high court's decision, according to local TV reports.

On the eve of the presidential election, the high court allowed the holding of the presidential election but barred the Election Commission from announcing official notification of the results till a final disposal of the petitions.

Two presidential candidates, Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed, and Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) chief Makhdoom Amin Fahim had challenged the candidacy of Musharraf to contest the presidential election and had prayed to the court to stay the election.

According to the official APP news agency, the Pakistani parliament gave Musharraf another term as president by a clear majority on October 6.

(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2007)