Zohaib says Nazia was treated badly by husband, wanted divorce

ISLAMABAD: Zohaib Hassan, the brother of late beloved Pakistani pop singer Nazia Hassan, Thursday said in a statement recorded under oath in London that Nazia said that her then husband, Ishtiaq Baig, had "fed her something" harmful and treated her badly.

Talking to Geo News, Zohaib said in a handwritten statement, attested by the Pakistan High Commission in London, Nazia had clearly stated that she wanted a divorce. Speaking of his interview with Samaa TV, Zohaib clarified that he had not in any way accused Nazia's ex-husband of anything.

"I did not level any allegations. These are things Nazia wrote herself," he said. Zohaib explained that in the UK, when someone is not well enough to appear in court, a solicitor is appointed, to whom a statement is provided under oath. The solicitor met Nazia and recorded a 10-page long testimony, Zohaib said.

The testimony clearly states that the man had made her eat or drink something and treated her very badly. “We had not seen the court document earlier. I found it now because I was going through papers after my father passed away 10 months ago,” the singer added.

“Whenever the day comes, of either Nazia’s birthday or death anniversary, this man displays Nazia’s medical records on TV and provides false information that the divorce did not occur. Such things deeply hurt my mother and our family,” he said.

Zohaib said under the Sharia law, the man should refrain from talking about Nazia even, given that the two are divorced. Nazia Hassan passed away in London at the age of 35 from lung cancer.

In an interview with Samaa TV earlier in the day, Zohaib shed light on how Nazia described her maltreatment by Baig. He told Samaa TV that her testimony stated that she believes arsenic was being slipped into her food.

Zohaib told the news outlet that his sister first developed ovarian cancer, but got better after one ovary was removed and the cancer went into remission. “The doctors gave her an NOC, which I can show you,” he added.

“Then she went to Morocco and subsequently Thailand with him. Upon her return, she was coughing blood. It was discovered then that she had developed lung cancer,” he said, quoting the testimony.

Zohaib said Nazia was detained in the UK by Baig and then even after she passed away, her body was withheld by Scotland Yard, who were probing the case. “The biggest mistake we made was to give Nazia away to him,” Zohaib said. In a response, Ishtiaq Baig said he had not divorced Nazia and said he would soon serve a Rs1 billion notice on Zohaib for defamation.