ISLAMABAD, July 24: An accountability court on Wednesday issued bailable warrants of arrest against Adiala jail superintendent for his failure to appear before the court in a contempt application moved in the ARY Gold reference.

The jailed PPP leader, Asif Zardari, has tabled the contempt application before the accountability court No II accusing that he was produced before the sessions court Lahore, when his case was fixed before the Rawalpindi accountability court on the same day without the prior approval of the accountability court.

In response the court had issued show-cause notice against the superintendent jail Adiala with a direction to appear personally before the court on Wednesday.

However, at the commencement of hearing, assistant superintendent jail appeared and informed the court that he was representing superintendent jail, who was busy due to the visit of the inspector general Punjab to the Adiala Jail.

The defence counsel, however, objected the excuse to justify the non-appearance, on which the court issued bailable warrant of arrest directing the jail superintendent to appear before the court on August 10 and respond to the allegations.

During the proceedings, Asif Ali Zardari also complained before the court that his rights as enshrined under the jail manuals were being violated by not honouring these at the sub- jail situated inside the Pims.

Meanwhile, another accountability court adjourned the hearing of Pakistan Steel mills case for July 31, when Shafqat Abbasi, the counsel of Mr Zardari told the court that a division bench of the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench had accepted the general adjournment of Raja Anwar advocate, the main counsel of the accused till September 27. Raja Anwar was on general adjournment due to personal reasons.

During the last hearing the accountability court had directed the accused Asif Ali Zardari to conclude by recording his final arguments in case his counsel fails to appear before the court on Wednesday.

The order was challenged by the defence counsel before the high court, which accepted the plea on the grounds that every accused under Article 10 of the Constitution has the right to consult and be represented by a counsel of his choice.

The accountability judge after hearing the arguments, adjourned the hearing for July 31.

Similarly, in the SGS reference in which Benazir Bhutto has been convicted for 3 year rigorous imprisonment for not appearing before the court.

The court provided the copies of reference to the accused under section 265C of the National Accountability Bureau ordinance. The hearing has been adjourned for August 2.