Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the federal government to produce records of Toshakhana gifts from political authorities and bureaucrats since Pakistan’s inception.
The court ordered the government to give data by January 16 and requested purchasing records since 1947.
Justice Asim Hafeez sought court orders to make public details of Toshkhana presents and information about persons/officials who got properties after paying.
Toshakhana is a Cabinet Division department that preserves gifts given to foreign guests by rulers, MPs, bureaucrats, and officials.
The department has been in the news due to proceedings against former prime minister Imran Khan for “not providing information” of Toshakhana gifts and earnings from their purported sale and his final disqualification for making “false statements and erroneous declarations.”
Toshakhana guidelines require that gifts/presents and other materials be reported to the Cabinet Division.
Sheraz Zaka, the government’s counsel, argued that Toshakhana information is classified and cannot be released.
The judge then asked why the details weren’t revealed. Finally, the judge ordered the government to report whether the details were classified.
PTI lawmaker Pervez Khattak tweeted after the hearing that the high court has requested Toshakhana’s whole gift record. Why self-imposed standards?
Munir Ahmad’s lawyer filed the request for details last week and pleaded, “The right to information is an integral part of a progressive democratic state, and the same has been elaborated by the superior courts saying the right to information in all matters of public importance is indisputably a fundamental right guaranteed under Article(s) 19 and 19-A of the Constitution.”
 ordered the federal government to produce records of Toshakhana gifts from political authorities and bureaucrats since 1947.){kind=link}