LAHORE: The federal government on Tuesday submitted ‘classified’ details of Toshakhana gifts to the Lahore High Court (LHC).
This came after both the Islamabad High Court and Lahore High Court took up petitions, seeking details of Toshakhana gifts retained by officials, be made public.
Also read: IHC issues notice to Cabinet Division, seeks details of Toshakhana since 1947
The federal government, it may be recalled here, had raised concern during the course of hearing in January that the public disclosure of Toshakhana gifts could damage Pakistan’s relations with friendly countries, months after federal ministers and political leaders of PDM-led ruling coalition bashed PTI Chairman Imran Khan for retaining gifts from Saudi Arabia and allegedly selling them out at throw-away prices.
Also read: Toshakhana gifts’ disclosure could harm Pakistan’s foreign relations, govt tells LHC
The Cabinet Division meanwhile, had also submitted a report before the court, informing that a new policy on the Toshakhana was being formulated which would be more transparent, fair and in accordance with international practices.
Justice Asim Hafeez of the LHC conducted a hearing into a petition filed by lawyer Munir Ahmad through Advocate Azhar Siddique in 2022, seeking the government to make public the complete details of Toshakhana gifts received by political rulers and bureaucrats from foreign dignitaries since the creation of Pakistan.
According to the petitioner, the members of a democratic society should be sufficiently informed that they may intelligently influence the decision which may affect them. Therefore, the people of Pakistan had the right to know every public act, everything that is done in a public way, by public functionaries and their chosen representatives.
