LAHORE – The LHC remarked on Thursday(January-19) that it would hold off an order to make details of the Toshakhana gifts public until it would be satisfied that these gifts were kept secret.

The federal government’s lawyer was instructed by the Lahore High Court to file an affidavit along with the Toshakhana’s records during a hearing while addressing the request to furnish information about the people who got gifts from the Toshakhana.

LHC’s “Justice Asim Hafeez” presided over the hearing & Additional Attorney Gen Nasar Ahmed represented the government. The government had sent the court a written answer outlining the Toshakhana guidelines & its disclosure policy, about which Nasar informed the court at the beginning of the hearing. The Lahore High Court later postponed the hearing till Feb 7 & directed the government to submit an affidavit along with record of Toshakhana.

Earlier, PTI chief “Imran Khan” had filed an application in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to withdraw his petition against his disqualification in the Toshakhana case. In October last, the electoral body, in a unanimous decision, found the EX PM guilty of “corrupt practices” & disqualified him from being a member of parliament. The PTI chairman rejected ruling & challenged it in the Islamabad High Court.

Barrister Ali Zafar, a counsel for Mr Khan, filed the petition arguing that the LHC had already formed a larger bench to hear the identical plea against the verdict of the ECP. He said the PTI had also challenged the ECP proceedings to remove “Imran Khan” as party head in the same court. He said the decision to take back the petition was taken after the LHC(Lahore High Court) formed a full bench in the case.

However, IHC(Islamabad High Court) Chief Justice “Aamir Farooq” said he would issue the ruling on the separate petition after hearing the other party which had some reservations. The high court has issued notices to all parties in the case & announced its hearing along with the main petition on Jan 25(Wednesday).