ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad summoned former president Asif Ali Zardari to appear before it on Oct 29 in relation to five National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references against him which were re-opened last week, DawnNews reported.

Despite earlier notices from the court, NAB officials failed to turn up for the hearing on Monday.

Moreover, the former president also failed to submit a response in accordance with the court's earlier orders, upon which the court took a recess to wait for his response.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed chairman of NAB, Maj (r) Qamar Zaman Chaudhry took notice of the absence of NAB officials from the hearing and issued instructions to ensure the implementation of the court's order and directed the NAB prosecutor to appear for the hearing.

The court was also informed that the former president had not complied with its earlier order after which the bench hearing the case issued another summon for Zardari to appear before it on Oct 29.

Taking a suo motu notice, the accountability court’s judge Bashir Ahmed had reopened five references against the former president.

The references against the former president include SGS, Cotecna, ARY, polo ground and Ursus tractors.