An Accountability Court (AC) on Thursday served notices to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on acquittal plea of former President Asif Ali Zardari in Toshakhana reference. AC-III Judge Syed Asghar Ali heard the reference against Asif Ali Zardari and ex-prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. The former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had already been declared absconder in the same reference. During the outset of hearing, Farouk H. Naek submitted a plea to the court seeking acquittal of the former president. He said that the court had testified 21 witnesses out of 43 so far but non of them leveled allegation against Asif Zardari. It prayed the court to acquit ex-president from the reference, adding that he NAB had failed to prove its allegation against Asif Zardari. It also prayed the court to stop the proceeding on reference till the decision on acquittal plea. The court, however, rejected the request to stop the hearing on toshakhana reference and sought comments from NAB on September 30, against the acquittal plea of Asif Ali Zardari. The court also issued arrest warrants against the prosecution witness Junaid Sheikh on absence from hearing.