Accountability court summons former Pakistani president

Former Pakistani president, Asif Ali Zardari has been summoned to appear before an accountability court in Islamabad on October 29, officials said on Monday. The former president was summoned in relation to five National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references against him that were reopened last week. The court sent notices to Zardari earlier too but NAB officials failed to turn up for the hearing on Monday and the former president also failed to submit a response in accordance with the court's earlier orders. The newly appointed Chairman of NAB, Qamar Zaman Chaudhry took notice of the absence of NAB officials from the hearing and instructed to ensure the implementation of the court's order and directed the NAB prosecutor to appear for the hearing. The court has issued another summon for former president Zardari to appear before the court on October 29. The accountability court took sou motu notice and reopened five references against the former president including SGS, Cotecna, ARY, a polo ground and Ursus tractors. Zardari was the first president that completed his five years tenure in the history of Pakistan and transferred his powers to the current President of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain in September.