ISLAMABAD: PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari did not appear on Tuesday before an accountability court in Rawalpindi on a reference in which he and the late prime minister Benazir Bhutto have been accused of acquiring illegal assets.

His counsel Farooq H. Naek informed the judge that Mr Zardari could not attend the court proceedings because he was indisposed and requested the court to exempt him from personal appearance for a day.

The court put off the hearing to May 13.

A number of lawyers and PPP workers and local leaders had gathered outside the court to greet the former president.

A source told Dawn that Mr Zardari suffered food poisoning and doctors from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences visited Zardari House to examine him.

The former president had arrived in Islamabad on Monday night.

PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Mr Zardari had cancelled all his meetings.

He said the PPP leader would stay in Islamabad for a few days because of several scheduled engagements and meetings.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2015

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