Babar Awan admits he was in contact with Imran Khan during custody

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s lawyer Babar Awan on Saturday revealed that he was in contact with the former chairman during his National Accountability Bureau (NAB) custody.

But, on the other hand, the deposed prime minister — who was arrested by Rangers personnel from Islamabad High Court (IHC), acting on National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) warrant — on May 11 had apprised the Supreme Court that his mobile phone was taken away and he was unaware about what was happening in the country.

Khan — in his first address since his release — reiterated today, “I was unaware of all that was happening after I was picked up. So yesterday and today I was collecting facts.”

He insisted that his party workers were not involved in the incidents, and urged the authorities to launch an independent investigation to unearth the truth.

Talking to Arab News, Awan said that the PTI chairman was kept in the dark and no TV facility was provided to him during his custody.

When asked how did he find that Khan was not provided with the TV facility, the lawyer — after a brief pause — said: “I live in this city ... We find ways of how to connect.”

“When I spoke to him, he said ‘I will not ask for any facility’,” revealed the PTI’s lawyer.

Earlier, an audio leak purportedly featuring him surfaced in which Khan could be heard directing his party to challenge his arrest in the top court.

The lawyer said that the PTI chairman had not met anyone from the country’s establishment while in custody.

Awan said the “interrogation was exclusively conducted by NAB,” adding that there was nothing to ask.