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

Khan had told SC that his mobile phone was taken away and he was unaware about what was happening in the country

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Former prime minister Imran Khan (left) gestures with his senior counsel during his court presence in the Islamabad High Court on May 12, 2023. — Facebook/BabarAwanPK
Former prime minister Imran Khan (left) gestures with his senior counsel during his court presence in the Islamabad High Court on May 12, 2023. — Facebook/BabarAwanPK

Contrary to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's statement that he was “unaware of all that was happening after I was picked up”, his lawyer Babar Awan admitted that he was in contact with the former prime minister while he was in the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) custody.

Earlier today, Khan — in his first address since his release — said: “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.”

The PTI chairman was arrested by Rangers personnel from Islamabad High Court (IHC) — acting on National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) warrant on May 9.

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

It is pertinent to mention here that Khan on May 11, had told the Supreme Court that his mobile phone was taken away and he was unaware about what was happening in the country.

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 establishment while in custody.

Awan said the “interrogation was exclusively conducted by NAB”.