Islamabad: Prime Minister shehbaz sharifThe government told the Lahore High Court on Thursday that the disclosure Toshakhana (State Depository) gifts could cause “unnecessary media publicity” and “potentially harm Pakistan’s interests in international relations”, months after former PM Imran Khan came under fire for concealing such gifts and about Accused of complaining to the Election Commission.
Shahbaz-led party objected to this PML (n) The coalition government in a report submitted before a single-judge bench of the High Court during the hearing of a petition seeking declassification of Toshakhana gift records. A petition was filed by a common citizen Muneer Ahmed, last month. It argues that people have a right to such details about public officials in a democratic society.
fawad chaudharyThe leader of Imran’s Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) expressed surprise at the court’s stand, saying that “Till a few days ago Toshakhana Ghadi (Shehbaz) was the top agenda of the government and now it is a matter of fear of being exposed”. way of”.
The Toshakhana – a state repository that preserves gifts received by public officials – attracted public attention when the election watchdog initiated proceedings against Imran for allegedly concealing details of gifts received as PM.
In the High Court on Thursday, the government’s three-page reply stated: “The Prime Minister’s Office (dated 26-11-2015) declared that information relating to Toshakhana gifts is classified as disclosure of such information may result in unnecessary media publicity, which may be potentially detrimental to Pakistan’s interests in the conduct of international relations.”
According to the response PM Shahbazs office constituted an inter-ministerial committee to formulate a new Toshakhana policy based on international best practices and principles of transparency. The reply stated that in doing so, the PM’s office wanted to maintain the confidentiality of the information “till the new policy is formulated as per the existing SOP”.
The High Court subsequently ordered the Cabinet Secretary to file an affidavit in two weeks and explain why any particular gift should be treated as “classified”. The next hearing of the case will be on February 7.
Shahbaz-led party objected to this PML (n) The coalition government in a report submitted before a single-judge bench of the High Court during the hearing of a petition seeking declassification of Toshakhana gift records. A petition was filed by a common citizen Muneer Ahmed, last month. It argues that people have a right to such details about public officials in a democratic society.
fawad chaudharyThe leader of Imran’s Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) expressed surprise at the court’s stand, saying that “Till a few days ago Toshakhana Ghadi (Shehbaz) was the top agenda of the government and now it is a matter of fear of being exposed”. way of”.
The Toshakhana – a state repository that preserves gifts received by public officials – attracted public attention when the election watchdog initiated proceedings against Imran for allegedly concealing details of gifts received as PM.
In the High Court on Thursday, the government’s three-page reply stated: “The Prime Minister’s Office (dated 26-11-2015) declared that information relating to Toshakhana gifts is classified as disclosure of such information may result in unnecessary media publicity, which may be potentially detrimental to Pakistan’s interests in the conduct of international relations.”
According to the response PM Shahbazs office constituted an inter-ministerial committee to formulate a new Toshakhana policy based on international best practices and principles of transparency. The reply stated that in doing so, the PM’s office wanted to maintain the confidentiality of the information “till the new policy is formulated as per the existing SOP”.
The High Court subsequently ordered the Cabinet Secretary to file an affidavit in two weeks and explain why any particular gift should be treated as “classified”. The next hearing of the case will be on February 7.