Toshakhana: Islamabad HC seeks report on gifts to PMs, presidents since 1947

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a notice to the Cabinet Division on Monday for refusing to provide details of gifts received by prime ministers and presidents since the creation of Pakistan, according to a report in Geo News.

The IHC asked the cabinet to submit the report within a month.

The Geo News report said: "IHC's Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the petition filed by Abuzar Salman Niazi. Advocate Wasim Abid appeared in court on behalf of the petitioner."

Abid during the hearing said that the petitioner asked for the gifts given by other countries to the presidents and the prime ministers of Pakistan. The cabinet division, however, refused to provide the information and called it classified.

According to the petitioner's lawyer, the Pakistan Information Commission gave an order in this regard on June 29 but even after five months, the order has not been implemented.

Justice Hassan during the hearing said: "Why are you limiting yourself to the prime ministers and presidents and not including the rest of the public servants? This shows your intentions." He said that such petitions are only related to the prime minister.

The court then asked Pakistan's Deputy Attorney General Syed Ahsan Raza to provide the required information if available.

Raza, however, said that such information should be available on the website and that there won't be any records prior to 1990.

Toshakhana's records might be available, the court said. The hearing was adjourned after the court sought a report from the cabinet division in a month.

According to a Geo News report: "This is the second time that a court has dealt with a petition of this sort. Earlier in December, the Lahore High Court (LHC) sought the details of gifts taken from the Toshakhana since 1947."

The details were sought by LHC's Justice Asim Hafeez over the plea of citizen Munir Ahmed.

The court was, however, informed that the sought details cannot be provided.

( With inputs from ANI )