The Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, have denied a claim by former federal minister and PPP Karachi president Dr Asim Hussain that he was "heavily drugged" when a video was recorded of him making a 'confession' while in custody of the paramilitary force last year.

Dr Asim had claimed on Geo TV's 'Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada Kay Saath' on Friday that he did not remember what he had said in the confessional video because he had been drugged and confined to a basement.

He claimed that he also did not know what drug he had been administered by Rangers personnel.

"I don't remember because I think I was heavily drugged into it," the close aide of former president Asif Zardari alleged.

In the footage telecast by TV channels last year in June, Dr Asim was seen sitting on a chair and maligning the party leadership. He also levelled serious allegations against Zardari’s foster brother Owais Muzaffar alias Tappi.

A press release issued by the Rangers on Saturday denied Dr Asim's allegations against the law enforcement agency, terming them "contrary to the facts".

"Dr Asim has never previously levelled such allegations during custody, appearances in courts or after [his] release," the statement said.

The Rangers recalled that Dr Asim is currently released on bail and cases registered against him are being heard in courts.

Dr Asim was released from a sub-jail set up for him at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre on March 31 after a little over 19 months in detention.

He was granted bail in two corruption references filed by NAB for allegedly causing huge losses to the national exchequer through corrupt practices.

The Dr Asim saga

Dr Asim, who was serving as chairman of the Sindh Higher Education Commission, was picked up by Rangers personnel on Aug 26, 2015, for his alleged involvement in offences falling within the ambit of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

He remained in Rangers’ preventive detention for 90 days before being handed over to police in a case registered against him and others for allegedly treating and harbouring suspected terrorists, political militants and gangsters at his hospital on the request of Rauf Siddiqui, Wasim Akhtar and Saleem Shahzad of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM); Pak Sarzameen Party president Anis Kaimkhani; PPP’s Abdul Qadir Patel, and Pasban’s Usman Moazzam.

Also read: Dr Asim Hussain case timeline

Later, NAB obtained his custody for interrogation and investigation into his alleged involvement in corruption. One of the two corruption cases pertained to causing loss of Rs462.5 billion by allegedly misusing his powers, while the other related to award of processing gas from five fields in lower Sindh without conducting an open auction, incurring a huge loss of Rs17.34bn to the national exchequer.