RAWALPINDI, July 7: The accountability court No. 4 rejected a plea of the PPP leader, Asif Ali Zardari, in an asset reference here on Wednesday.

The judge, Chaudhry Mazhar Hussain Minhas, rejected the plea in which Mr Zardari had demanded that before bringing the Investigation Officer, Basharat Shahzad, for cross questioning, the court should finish recording of statements of the prosecution witnesses.

The court observed that as the National Accountability Bureau special prosecutor, Iqbal Bhatti, had already recorded his statement, therefore, there was no need of recording the statements of prosecution witnesses prior to the IO's cross examination.

The court also inquired of Mr Zardari about the absence of his counsel, Farooq H. Naik, on which the PPP leader informed that his counsel could not attend the proceedings due to some urgent preoccupation.

The court adjourned hearing in the case till July 12 after Mr Zardari sought some more time from the court on behalf of his counsel. Meanwhile, the accountability court No. 3 judge, Mohammad Aslam, also sought response from the jail authorities in two different applications filed by Mr Zardari seeking permission to be examined by a private dentist and be allowed to walk in the lawn of the sub-jail, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).

The court, however, could not decide about the 265-K application of Mr Zardari, seeking acquittal from the BMW reference, due to absence of his counsel, Farooq H Naik. Hearing in the case was adjourned till July 12.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters Asif Ali Zardari said the ARD would soon hold a meeting with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) leadership regarding fielding of candidate against Shaukat Aziz, from Attock constituency.

The PPP leader said he was optimistic that the MMA leadership would back the ARD's nominated candidate. He said the country would see no positive change in case the technocrat-cum- finance minister succeeded to secure the post of prime minister. Because it was the establishment and not the politicians which had ruled this country, he added.