IHC seeks report on Toshakhana gifts received by PMs, presidents since 1947

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2022-12-27T04:40:35+05:00 SHAHID RAO

IsLAMABAD          -          The islamabad High Court (iHC) Monday issued notices to the Cabinet Division for refusing to provide details of the gifts received by prime ministers and presidents since the creation of Pakistan. a single bench of iHC comprising Justice Miangul Hassan aurangzeb conducted hearing of the petition filed by one Abuzar salman Niazi through his counsel. Besides issuing the notices, the iHC bench directed the Cabinet Division to submit a report regarding the details of gifts received by the political dignitaries from Toshakhana within a month. The petitioner cited Cabinet Division and Information Commission as respondents, and asked that the details of the market value of the gifts and the price charged should also be provided. During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel said that his client asked for the details of gifts given by other countries to the presidents and the prime ministers; however, the Cabinet Division refused to provide the required information, declaring it as ‘classified’. The Pakistan Information Commission issued orders on June 29 for the provision of required information to the applicant, but it has not been implemented even after five months, said the petitioner’s lawyer. at this, Justice Miangul remarked that why you are limiting yourself to the prime ministers and presidents and not including the rest of the public servants? He added that this shows your intentions and every petition that comes is all about the prime ministers. The IhC bench asked the Deputy Attorney General (DAG) syed Ahsan Raza to provide the information if the records are available. at this, the DAG said that such information should be available on the website and that there would not be any record before 1990. Later, the court deferred the hearing and sought the report from the Cabinet Division within a month.

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