LAHORE: A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Monday directed the government to submit record of the Toshakhana articles from 1947 to 2001 with details of gift given by foreign dignitaries and countries till April 17.

The bench was hearing an Intra-Court Appeal (ICA) of the government challenging a decision of a single bench requiring it to release the source of gifts from 1990 to 2023 as well.

Earlier, a law officer stated that the single bench had seized with a petition seeking an order to declassify/release all information with regard to the Toshakhana gifts received by various Pakistani dignitaries and government officials from foreign states or their officials.

He, however, said, during the pendency of the petition, the federal cabinet decided to declassify the record and details of the Toshakhana for the period 2002 to 2023 except the source of gifts.

He said the source of gifts was decided to be kept secret and classified as it will have an adverse effect on the foreign and international relations of Pakistan. The bench asked the law officer whether the receiver of the gifts declared them in their tax documents. The bench observed that even the judges were bound to declare the gifts received in official capacity. “The representatives of the state are bound to disclose their official gifts,” the bench added.

The law officer, however, said the government was not trying to hide the Toshakhana record from 1990 to 2001. He said the record in question was not complete and cannot be verified or authenticated as no supporting files, record or evidence of this period was available. He said the government was not in a position to reveal or disclose record which it cannot authenticate.

The bench, however, observed that complete and verified record was supposed to be in possession of the government of the day. Without naming states, the law officer said the rulers of a particular region use to give costly gifts and disclosing their identities could harm foreign policy of Pakistan.

The petitioner’s counsel, however, said the government was going to be trapped and had left with no option but to release the Toshakhana details. The bench observed that big guns were yet to be caught and directed the government to submit the Toshakhana record from 1947 to 2001.

Justice Asim Hafeez on March 22 had directed the government to release complete record of the Toshakhana articles of 1990 to 2001 along with the details of the gift-giving foreign dignitaries and countries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023