The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday asked the government to… reluctance to disclose details Among the gifts given to Prime Minister Imran Khan since August 2018 when he assumed office.
The Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) had earlier accepted an application on the matter and directed the Cabinet Division to “request information regarding gifts received by Prime Minister Imran Khan from foreign heads of state, heads of governments and other foreign dignitaries”. Provide … the details / details of each gift, information about the gifts kept by the Prime Minister and the rules for the gifts so received are kept with him”.
The Cabinet Division had opposed the request, taking a stand before the PIC that the matter does not come under the purview of the Right to Access to Information Act, 2017. Referring to a letter dated April 4, 1993, in which the details were declared “classified/secret”, Toshakhana argued that the information could not be sought under the Access to Information Act.
Subsequently, the Cabinet Division had challenged the order in a petition before the IHC, which claimed that the PIC’s order was “illegal, without lawful authority”. Government took the stand that disclosure of any information related to Toshakhana endangers international relations
“Will you provide [the details] Of the gifts given to Prime Minister Imran Khan or not?” Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb inquired during the hearing of the case on Wednesday.
Noting that the details of certain items like “defensive gifts” cannot be disclosed, the judge questioned why the ban on making the details public applied to every gift.
“If a country has given a necklace as a gift, what’s the harm in making it public?” Justice Aurangzeb questioned. “Why is the government embarrassed by not disclosing gifts from other countries?”
He said that the gifts received by the rulers belonged to the nation and not theirs, asking whether the holders of public office would also receive those gifts if the public office was not present.
“Why doesn’t the government keep all the gifts in the museum? The government should make [details of] Public gifts in the last 10 years.”
He also said that the government should notify how many gifts were assessed by the Federal Board of Revenue.
In the hearing, the government representative sought time to respond after which the court adjourned the hearing.
What is Toshakhana?
Established in 1974, Toshakhana is a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division and stores precious gifts given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats and officials by other governments and heads of states and foreign dignitaries as goodwill gestures.
It houses valuables ranging from bulletproof cars, gold-plated souvenirs and expensive paintings to watches, jewelry, carpets and swords.
The Toshakhana (Maintenance and Administration) Rules, 1974 (as amended up to 2012), apply to the President, Prime Minister, Senate Speaker and Deputy Speaker, National Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker, Federal Ministers, State Ministers, Members of Parliament, Govt. Employees and employees of autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, whether on duty or on leave, in connection with the affairs of the Government or while on deputation with any other body, agency, institution or authority.
Under the rules, it is mandatory to deposit gifts of a certain value in the Toshakhana. However, an officer is also allowed to keep these gifts, provided they pay a certain percentage of the value as determined by the Toshakhana Valuation Committee.
As per a rule of Toshakhana, gifts/gifts and other such material to persons to whom these rules apply shall be informed to the Cabinet Division indicating the nature and approximate value of the gifts. There should be no undue delay in intimating the receipt of such gifts and the recipients should submit the same to the Government.
Read more: Little known Toshakhana is coming into the limelight