While submitting details pertaining to Toshakhana gifts before Lahore High Court a day ago, federal government termed it classified saying the court is empowered to unseal the produced documents.
However, the LHC issued directives to head of the Toshakhana appear in person and submit an affidavit before the court in the matter on Thursday 23.
A single-member bench comprising Justice Asim Hafeez passed the orders after hearing the plea of a lawyer Munir Ahmed seeking directives for the government to make public complete details of Toshakhana gifts that political rulers and bureaucrats received from foreign dignitaries since 1947.During the proceedings, a section officer of the department concerned submitted the Toshakhana gifts record before the court.
Justice Asim Hafeez observed, “The court will not open this sealed record until the affidavit of the department’s head is submitted.”
During the previous hearing of the case, the federal government had shown reluctance to submit the Toshakhana details before the court, saying that disclosure of such details might cause damage to the interests of Pakistan’s international relations.
The Cabinet Division has claimed that a new policy on Toshakhana was being formulated which would be more fair and transparent.
