Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday ordered Deputy Attorney General Arshad Kayani to reveal the detail of Toshakhana gifts received by former Prime Minister Imran Khan during his government.
Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard two petitions, one from a citizen and another from the Cabinet Division .
Before its ouster, for almost a year the PTI government refused to come clean on the Toshakhan gifts, when a citizen sought the details and the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) ordered the government to release the information.
The Cabinet Division had challenged the PIC order, effectively blocking it.
During the proceedings on Wednesday, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb ordered implementation of the PIC order.
Justice Hassan told the deputy attorney general that there was no point in keeping a gift by paying some money. The government must make a policy that whatever gift is received should be deposited with the treasury, the justice said.
Gifts are not only received within Pakistan but also given to people abroad and all the gifts from foreign countries should be on display, the judge remarked.
If any gift was taken home, it must be returned to the PM Office , the judge said.
The court ordered the attorney general to “take a look†at the gifts received in the last 20 years.
When the deputy attorney asked for time to get instructions from the government, Justice Aurangzeb said he can take that time but, in the meantime, the PIC order should be implemented.
“There is no stay on the Pakistan Information Commission’s order. The Cabinet Division is bound to provide information,†the judge said. Later the case was adjourned for two weeks.