LAHORE - The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday directed the federal government to stop the scheduled auctioning of Toshakhana gifts.
LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan passed the orders while hearing a petition filed by Advocate Adnan Paracha challenging the auction of Toshakhana gifts.
The petitioner-counsel argued before the court that the gifts given to the president, prime minister and ministers by other heads of states were put in Toshakhana of Cabinet Division. He submitted that these gifts were being auctioned without any legal backing and only government officers were allowed to participate in it.
He pleaded with the court to stop the illegal auction being held on November 25. However, a deputy attorney general argued that the auction process had been initiated as per rules. At this, the chief justice questioned the law officer whether the auction was advertised or not.
He observed that the auction process was a violation of Article 25 of the Constitution. Subsequently, the chief justice stopped the federal government from auction and sought reply till December 9.
