Dr Asim confessed to all charges framed against him
01 December, 2015
KARACHI: Former minister for Petroleum and a close aide of PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Dr Asim Hussain, on Monday confessed to all charges framed against him.
Dr Asim was presented before a judicial magistrate in Karachi city courts. The former minister while recording his statement confessed to all charges levelled against him. His statement was recorded under Section 164 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which deals with ‘abetment by public servant of offences such as taking gratification by corrupt or illegal means and exercise of personal influence’.
The court provided opportunity to Dr Asim Hussain to think again over what he has said in his statement. But he pleaded guilty saying what statement he had recorded was the voice of his conscience and no pressure whatsoever was mounted on him from any side for recording this statement.
According to reports, Dr Asim Hussain has mentioned name of Wasim Akhtar, Qadir Patel and several other political leaders in his statement.
According to legal experts Dr Asim Hussain can be awarded life imprisonment for confessing the accusations. In case he becomes an approver, his sentence term can be reduced.
His statement was sealed and forwarded to respective ATC judge. He was later handed over to the Rangers. The anti-terrorism court also extended physical remand of the former minister for seven days and allowed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to investigate him in the corruption cases.
The NAB had approached the court to obtain custody of Dr Asim for questioning him regarding an embezzlement case. The court while rejecting NAB’s request directed them to investigate Dr Asim in police custody.
Deputy Managing Director of Ziauddin Hospital Dr Yousuf Saattar, who is also a close aide of Dr Asim Hussain, meanwhile, admitted that ‘militants’ belonging to different political parties were treated at the hospital on Dr Asim’s orders.
Dr Sattar recorded his statement as a witness under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
According to Dr Sattar’s statement, some political leaders used to call him to provide treatment to their workers injured in clashes with law enforcers and rival groups. “Some political militants were also provided a hiding place in the hospital,” he added. The statement of the witness has been made part of the investigation in an ongoing terrorism case against Dr Asim. The sealed statement of the witness will be sent to an anti-terrorism court where the case is being heard.
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