Dr Asim was drugged or forced to confess against Owais Muzaffar: lawyer

Former petroleum minister's lawyer says the video seems to have been recorded when he was under Rangers custody

A day after former president Asif Zardari's close aide made startling revelations in a confessional video, Dr Asim Hussain's lawyer alleged his client was either forced or drugged to make the claims.

"Dr Asim does not recall anything about his confession," former federal minister's counsel Anwar Mansoor Khan said while addressing the media on Thursday.



"He could have been drugged or forced to give the statements," he added. Dr Asim's lawyer also cited the possibility of his medicines for his various health problems being withdrawn.

Further, Khan said the video appears to have been recorded when Dr Asim was under Rangers custody.

The former federal petroleum minister's confessional video made rounds on social media. In the video, Dr Asim accused former president Asif Ali Zardari’s foster brother of being involved in “all kinds of corruption” during Pakistan Peoples Party’s current government in Sindh.



“I did not know Owais Muzaffar before,” Dr Hussain said. The 80-second long clip, apparently cut out from a longer video, went viral on social media and was screened on several television channels.

In the video, Dr Asim is seen wearing a white shalwar kameez and sitting on a solitary chair in the room. During the short clip, he talks particularly against Muzzafar.

“When the second (PPP) government [in Sindh] came to power, he [Muzaffar] came to the fore and became the virtual CM,” Dr Asim claims adding that Muzaffar was raised by Zardari’s mother.

However, denying the authenticity of the confession, Khan said, "Signing confessional documents before a magistrate does not suffice as confession."