LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) was informed by the federal government that records of Toshakhana gifts dating back to 2002, not 1947 as originally sought, were in the process of being “declassified” and would soon be made publicly available via a website.
This announcement followed an initial reluctance by the government to disclose such records — including those of gifts received by deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif in his three terms between 1990 and 2017 — with the details having only been submitted to the court on February 21 in response to a petition seeking the public release of records.
Furthermore, the government clarified it was entirely at the court’s discretion to unseal the documents. The move to release these records represents a significant step towards greater transparency and accountability within the government’s operations, it said.
The case centres on Toshakhana, a government department which during the Mughal era referred to the treasure houses kept by the subcontinent’s princely rulers to store and display gifts lavished on them.
Government officials must declare all gifts to the Cabinet Division, but are allowed to keep those below a certain value.
More expensive items must go to Toshakhana under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division, but in some cases, the recipient can buy them back at around 50 percent of their value — a discount Imran Khan raised from 20 percent while in prime minister’s office (PMO).
The government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition has for months alleged Khan and his wife, Bushra Maneka, received lavish gifts worth millions during trips abroad. They included luxury watches, jewellery, designer handbags and perfumes.
During the hearing on Thursday, after the additional attorney general informed Justice Asim Hafeez of the decision, the judge ordered that records predating 2002 be presented in court as well.
The government lawyer clarified that while records of Toshakhana buyers were being declassified, the details of the countries who gave these gifts would not be disclosed. Nonetheless, Justice Hafeez instructed the government to bring forward the record of the gifts’ origins to the court in the next hearing.
The petitioner’s lawyer, Azhar Siddiq, urged the government to present the complete record in court, but Justice Hafeez reminded them that declassification only occurred in 2023, and it was unreasonable to expect a sudden change.
As such, the hearing was adjourned until March 13.
It remains to be seen how this development will impact public perceptions of the Toshakhana gift system, but analysts believe this measure will serve to increase confidence in the government’s commitment to openness and good governance.
