Govt gives nod to make public Toshakhana gifts record.

LAHORE: In a major development, the federal government on Thursday gave its nod to publish the record of the Toshakhana, confirmed Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

The move came days after the government apprised the Lahore High Court (LHC) that the record of the Toshakhana gifts since 2002 was being "declassified" and would be uploaded on the internet. The LHC on January 19 directed the government to submit an affidavit declaring the details of the Toshakhana gifts as "classified".

In a statement, the defence minister said the record of Toshakana will be uploaded on the website of the federal cabinet. It is pertinent to mention here that the authorities on February 22 submitted a sealed record of Toshakhana gifts received by the rulers and the bureaucrats from foreign dignitaries since the creation of Pakistan in the court.

Deputy Attorney General Asad Bajwa apprised the court that it is a "classified" record and the court can open it. The final decision in this regard, however, will be made in the upcoming meeting of the federal cabinet. According to the law, whenever a head of state receives a gift from another state or country, they...