LAHORE: On Monday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the government to deliver the Toshakhana records from 1947 to 2001 within a week. The instruction was given during the hearing of the government’s intra-court appeal, which was made in opposition to the LHC’s single bench order requiring the release of the State Gift Depository’s records from 1990 to 2001.
A two-member bench made up of Justices Shahid Bilal Hassan and Raza Qureshi took up the case and questioned the AAG about the government’s arguments. The attorney then informed the court that the bench had mandated making the names of those who provided the gifts public. He claimed that starting in 2002, the Toshakhana records had already been made public by the government.
He, however, said that the names of those who gave the gifts weren’t made public to avoid destroying foreign relations.
The AAG further stated that the government had uploaded all the details on the official website but wanted relief to the extent of revealing the names.
At this, Justice Qureshi asked whether those people were declaring what they had been gifted or not.
“We are also bound to declare it if anyone gives us a gift,” Justice Bilal remarked.
At this, the AAG maintained that if anyone is representing a state then he is supposed to declare the gift. He said that the government wasn’t trying to hide the records but the records before 2002 are not computerised and verified.
Later, the court sought records from 1947 to 2001, while issuing notice to the petitioner of the initial case seeking the Toshakhana records, for next Monday.
On March 22, Justice Asim Hafeez. had ordered the release the complete record of Toshakhana from 1990 to 2001, despite the government’s opposition.
The federal government had objected to sharing the source of a gift and said it would challenge the verdict. To this, Justice Hafeez had said it is your right to file a challenge.
“No one can retain the gift without making payment,” the order stated.
The directives from the high court came on a petition of citizen Munir Hafeez who had sought complete details of the gifts received by political rulers and bureaucrats from foreign dignitaries since the creation of Pakistan.
Earlier this month, the federal government released the Toshakhana record from 2002 onwards, exposing the political leadership of the country that benefitted from the depository.
The government had maintained that releasing all the records may harm Pakistan’s relations with friendly countries, however, the court ignored these warnings and ordered to declassify the records.
Last week, the court ordered the presentation of the Toshakhana record prior to 2002 in any format available, adding that it would pass appropriate orders after reviewing the record.
This is a developing story and is being updated with more details
