pakistan

Govt challenges LHC decision to public Toshakhana record from 1990 to 2001

Published

1 year ago

April 10, 2023

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The federal government on Monday filed a petition against a ruling of the Lahore High Court’s single bench regarding declassification of Toshakhana record from 1990 to 2001.

The petition has been filed through the Cabinet Division secretary and it will be heard by a two-member bench, headed by LHC’s Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan today.

It argued that the single bench’s decision to reveal the sources of the gifts was unlawful and pleaded the LHC to declar it null and void.

Single Bench’s Order

On March 22, LHC’s Justice Asim Hafeez had ordered the release of the Toshakhana record from 1990 to 2001. He had issued the order while a hearing petition filed by lawyer Munir Ahmad through Advocate Azhar Siddique, seeking the government to release the complete details of Toshakhana gifts received by political rulers and bureaucrats from foreign dignitaries since the creation of Pakistan.

Established in 1974, the Toshakhana is a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division and stores gifts received by public officeholders from other governments and foreign dignitaries.

The department has been in the news in recent months in light of proceedings against former prime minister Imran Khan for “not sharing details” of Toshakhana gifts. The Election Commission Pakistan (ECP) had disqualified the PTI chief in the case last year.

Justice Hafeez had ordered that details about the source of gifts should also be revealed, adding that nothing could be concealed. Raising objection to the court order to disclose the details of sources, the federal government’s lawyer had said an appeal would be filed against it.

Read more: Top leaders make the most of Toshakhana largesse as records declassified since 2002

The orders from the high court had come days after the federal government declassified the Toshakhana gifts’ records since 2002 for the first time in country’s history.

A 446-page record of Toshakhana gifts from 2002 to March 2023 included details of the gifts of the presidents, prime ministers and federal ministers. During the ongoing year, the incumbent government received 59 gifts.

According to the record released by the government, 224 gifts were received in Toshakhana in 2022, 116 in 2021, 175 in 2018 and 91 gifts were received in 2014. As many as 177 gifts were received by government officials in 2015. Earlier, the federal cabinet had decided to make the details of records of Toshakhana public.

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Related Topics:Lahore High Court Toshakhana case

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pakistan

Court reserves verdict on PTI founder’s bail plea in May 9 case

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

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Court reserves verdict on PTI founder's bail plea in May 9 case

The Islamabad district and sessions court has reserved verdict on the bail plea of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder in the May 9 case.

Judicial Magistrate Omar Shabbir heard the case against the PTI leader registered in Shahzad Town police station.

Naeem Haider Panjhota, Sardar Masroof and Amina Ali appeared before the judge as counsel for the PTI leader.

The lawyers said the case against the PTI founder had not been pursued by an authorised officer. All cases against him had been instituted on the basis of politics and should, therefore, be quashed, they demanded.

The court after listening to the arguments reserved the verdict.

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pakistan

Rawalpindi court bins plea for initiating case against former commissioner Liaquat Chattha

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

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Rawalpindi court bins plea for initiating case against former commissioner Liaquat Chattha

The Rawalpindi Sessions Court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking the registration of a case against former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Hakim Khan issued a two-page written order on the petition.

In its order, the court observed that apart from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), a departmental inquiry was also being conducted against the former commissioner.

If the allegations were proven in the ECP and departmental inquiries, a legal action was certain, the order stated, adding that in this situation, there was no justification for registering a separate case against the former Rawalpindi commissioner.

Two lawyers from Rawalpindi had filed the petition seeking the registration of a case against former commissioner.

In a Feb 18 presser, the former commissioner admitted that elections in his division were “rigged”.

The commissioner accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja of being complicit in the rigging and asserted that he, along with the CEC and Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, deserved punishment, even the death penalty, for their injustice.

Chattha expressed remorse for forcing his subordinates to engage in wrongdoing and admitted that winning candidates were made to lose on 13 seats in the Rawalpindi division.

Later on Feb 23, Chattha retracted his earlier statement in a written statement submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

In the statement, Chattha confessed to having supported the narrative of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) about rigging in the general elections and maligning state institutions in exchange for a lucrative position in the future.

He stated he had been made this offer by a Lahore-based PTI leader with whom he had developed a close friendship.

Chattha alleged that “this entire planning had been formulated after consultation and approval of the senior leadership of PTI”.

He stated that this proposal was made by the said [PTI] individual in consideration of the fact that he was about to retire from service after having remained a part of the services for 32 years and enjoyed all the perks and privileges.

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pakistan

IHC orders Zartaj Gul to appear before court with record in ECL name removal case

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

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IHC orders Zartaj Gul to appear before court with record in ECL name removal case

Islamabad High Court (IHC) has sought the record from Zartaj Gul’s counsel on a petition seeking the name removal of PTI leader and MNA Zartaj Gul from the Exit Control List (ECL).

IHC’s Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri heard the case on Zartaj Gul’s name removal from ECL.

During the hearing, the state counsel stated that Zartaj Gul’s name has been included in the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL).

Upon inquiry from the court, the state counsel informed that Zartaj Gul’s name was included in PNIL on the order of Islamabad and Punjab police, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was responsible for including the name in PNIL.

Also read: PTI’s Shibli Faraz, Raja Basharat, Zartaj Gul secure bail in May 9 cases

State counsel added that five cases were registered against Zartaj Gul in Islamabad and Punjab.

The petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Usama, disclosed that Zartaj Gul has been granted bail in those cases. He reiterated that the name was being included in the PNIL list despite being on bail.

During the hearing, Justice Tariq Jahangiri inquired about how many cases Zartaj Gul has been granted bail in and ordered the petitioner to appear before the court in the next hearing.

Consequently, IHC has adjourned the case hearing until next week by directing Zartaj Gul’s counsel to appear before the court in the next hearing with records.

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