Lahore High Court seeks Toshakhana records from 1947 onward

The Lahore High Court on Monday ordered the federal government to submit the Toshakhana records from 1947 onward.

While hearing a petition filed by Munir Ahmad, he called for presenting the records “in whatever form they are.”

“The court will pronounce the verdict after having a full review [of the Toshakhana records]. We will also see who were these gifts given by,” he said.

Here is the Toshakhana gifts’ record since 2002

He also called for reviewing why the gifts were given.

The plea requested transparency of Toshakhana gifts received by political rulers and bureaucrats from foreign dignitaries since 1947 and demanded making all records public.

On Sunday, the federal government made public the record of Toshakhana from 2002 to 2023 with the details of foreign gifts received by various former presidents, prime ministers, ministers and other important personalities over the past 21 years.

2002 to 2023: Govt makes Toshakhana record public

The 466-page Toshakhana record was uploaded on the Cabinet Division website with the details of the foreign gifts received over the last 21 years. The record was released on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The names of former presidents, former prime ministers, ministers and government officials are among the recipients of the foreign gifts in the Toshakhana record.

Prominent of those whose details have been made public include the incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Dr Arif Alvi, former President Pervez Musharraf, former Prime Ministers Shaukat Aziz, Yousuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan.

According to the record, the present government received 59 gifts in 2023. Last year, 224 gifts were received in Toshakhana in 2022, 116 gifts in 2021, 175 gifts in 2018 and 91 gifts in 2014 while 177 gifts were received by government officials in 2015.

According to the document, former Prime Minister Imran Khan got a pair of cufflinks worth Rs5.670 million, a pen worth Rs1.5 million and a ring worth Rs8.750 million.

According to the document, Imran Khan received a box of Oud wood and two perfumes worth Rs0.5 million without making any payment. It further stated that Imran Khan kept a valuable watch worth Rs1.5 million for which he paid Rs294,000.

The document revealed that Imran Khan paid a total of Rs20 million for all the four items, besides Imran Khan got another watch worth Rs3.8 million by paying Rs705,400.

On Monday, a district and sessions court in Islamabad reserved its judgment on a petition filed by former PM Imran Khan seeking an exemption from appearing before the court in the Toshakhana case, Aaj News reported.

Toshakhana reference: Islamabad court reserves verdict on Imran’s exemption plea

During the hearing , Imran’s counsel Khawaja Haris informed the court that his client was not able to appear due to security threats.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge reserved his verdict.