KARACHI, Aug 22: The special ani-corruption judge, Shaukat Memom, put off on Tuesday hearing of the container case against Asif Ali Zardari. The judge fixed Oct 7 for the next hearing after Zardari’s counsel Shahadat Awan submitted that his client was unable to attend legal proceedings as he was under treatment in the US.

Shahadat Awan prayed the special anti-corruption court, central, to condone Mr Zardari’s absence from the court in the container case as he had joined a cardiac rehabilitation programme at New York University Hospital.

The counsel also placed on record a medical certificate issued by Dr Samin Sharma of Zena and Michael A. Wener Cardiovascular Institute, New York.

The court, however, directed the defence counsel to place on record the attested copies of the medical certificate in the court by the next hearing.

The medical certificate said Mr Zardari was advised to have a stress test with reperfusion imaging because of his ongoing crescendo angina type symptoms and his stress test was performed on Aug 23, 2005, which was positive for myocardial ischemia.

It said he underwent cardiac catheterization at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, on Aug 31, 2005, which showed a severe obstructive lesion in the left anterior descending artery, for which he underwent coronary angioplasty.

The certificate further said: All the medical expenses for both in and out-patient were fully paid by the patient himself.

Six weeks post-procedure, he was recommended to join a cardiac rehabilitation programme at New York University Hospital. This cardiac rehabilitation programme is of six-month duration and expected to finish in May 2006.

On completion of this programme, he will be re-evaluated for further cardiac care and management. In addition to his cardiac history, he has nasal and spinal issues for which he has been advised to consult appropriate surgeons after he finishes his rehabilitation programme.