LHC seeks affidavit from govt declaring Thoshakhana gifts as “classified”

Lahore: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday sought an affidavit from the federal government declaring the details of the Toshakhana gifts as “classified”.

Justice Asim Hafeez passed the order on a petition filed by a local citizen through Advocate Azhar Siddique seeking directives for the government authorities to make public the Thoshakhana gifts  withdrawn from Thoshakhana from 1947 till date.

During the proceedings, the cabinet secretary submitted his reply before the court.

“The information is classified and can’t be shared,” the secretary said in his reply to the court.

Justice Hafeez asked the government lawyer about his views on the documents being labelled as “classified”.

A federal law officer told the court that Toshakhana was transferred from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Cabinet Division in 1978.

Justice Hafeez, however, asked the law officer that how the gifts which were purchased could be declared as classified.

The judge remarked, “ the court will not disclose those items if an affidavit comes that these are classified,”.

The judge also observed that may be the court could draw a line on what information could be provided what cannot be.

The court also directed the government lawyer to come up with an affidavit of the head of the Thoshakhana and gave two-week time in this regard.

Meanwhile, the cabinet secretary asked the court to put off further hearing till the new Thoshakhana policy is developed.

The Secretary also apprised the court that the Toshakhana gifts are classified as per a circular issued by the Prime Minister’s office on November 26, 2015. He submitted that if the information was released then it could cause unnecessary media publicity and could harm Pakistan’s ties with other countries.

“A new Thoshakhana policy is under way as per the international practice,” the secretary told the court, submitting that the prime minister made an inter-ministerial committee which submitted its suggestions on the policy.

He also informed the court that the new Thoshakhana bill was put before the federal cabinet after approval from the Prime Minister’s office.

“Bill is still pending for approval,” he added.

Munir Ahmed, a local citizen, filed the petition through Advocate Azhar Siddique and asked the court to direct the government authorities to make  public the details of gifts withdrawn from 1947 to till date.