The Lahore High Court has ordered the government to make complete record of Toshakhana from 1990 to 2001 public. LHC judge Justice Asim Hafeez on Wednesday disposed of the petition filed by citizen Munir Ahmad seeking details of the Toshakhana record. During hearing, Justice Hafeez remarked nothing could be concealed, ordering government to make public the names of those friendly countries who gave these gifts.

Additional Attorney General Nasr Ahmad appeared before the court to represent the federal government. The federal government objected to the court instruction regarding revealing sources of the gifts. But the judge ordered the government lawyer to make every part of the record public. The lawyer said that the government would file an appeal against this.

 The judge remarked filing an appeal was government’s right. Justice Hafeez observed that without making payment, no one could retain a Toshakhana gift for free. On March 12, the government released the much-awaited records of Toshakhana gifts received by public office holders from foreign governments and dignitaries since 2002. The move was made on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

However, on March 13, the LHC directed the law officer representing the federal government to “submit in chamber” the remaining record before 2002, including the names of those who gave those gifts. Established in 1974, the Toshakhana is a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division and stores precious gifts given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats, and officials by heads of other governments and states and foreign dignitaries.

According to Toshakhana rules, gifts/presents and other such materials received by persons to whom these rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division. The department has been in the news in recent months in light of proceedings against former prime minister Imran Khan for “not sharing details” of Toshakhana gifts. The recipients of the gifts from foreign dignitaries include former presidents, prime ministers, federal ministers and government officials.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP