'Nazia Hassan said she was treated badly by husband, wanted divorce'

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

Talking to Geo News, Zohaib said that a handwritten statement, attested by the Pakistan High Commission in London, "Nazia had clearly written that she wanted a divorce". 

Speaking of his interview with Samaa TV, Zohaib clarified that he had not in anyway 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 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 that under Sharia law, the man should refrain from talking about Nazia even, given that the two are divorced.

Nazia Hassan passed away in London on August 13, 2000, at the age of 38, from lung cancer. 

Interview with Samaa TV

In an interview with Samaa TV earlier in the day, Zohaib claimed Nazia had described her alleged maltreatment by Baig to her family.

He told Samaa TV that "her testimony stated that she believed 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 alleged that 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.