LHC asked to direct govt to make Toshakhana gift details public

• He asked the LHC to allow the petition and order the respondents
• He also sought details about methodology used to determine price
• He argued that the people of Pakistan had a right to know

LAHORE: LHC has been asked to order the federal government to make complete details of Toshakhana gifts, received by the political rulers and the bureaucrats from the foreign dignitaries since the creation of Pakistan, public.

“The right to information is an integral part of a progressive democratic state and the same has been elaborated by the superior courts saying the right to information in all matters of public importance is indisputably a fundamental right guaranteed under Article(s) 19 and 19-A of the Constitution,” pleads Munir Ahmad, a lawyer by profession, in a writ petition filed through Advocate Azhar Siddique with the Lahore High Court (LHC).

The petitioner submitted that the right to information stemmed from the requirement that members of a democratic society should be sufficiently informed that they might intelligently influence the decision which might affect them.

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Therefore, he argued, that the people of Pakistan had a right to know every public act, everything that was done in public way, by their public functionaries and chosen representatives.

He said the public was entitled to know details of every public transaction and acquired information in all matters of public importance.

“This enables people to contribute in debate on social and moral issues and matter of public importance,” the petitioner added.

He asked the LHC to allow the petition and order the respondents to make the details of assets gifted to the rulers as well as the bureaucracy public and also provide the names, details, information, documentation and materials respecting the persons/officials who had obtained the assets by paying amounts.

He also sought details about the methodology used to determine the price of the Toshakhana articles. The ministry of parliamentary affairs, the ministry of interior and Pakistan information commission have been arrayed as respondents in the petition.