LHC seeks five-year record of Toshakhana auctions

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) directed on Wednesday the federal authorities to submit a complete record of auctions of Toshakhana gifts held over the past five years.

The court directed them to submit the record by the next hearing on December 13.

At the previous hearing, the court had restrained the federal government from auctioning precious gifts available in the Toshakhana of the Cabinet Division on November 25 till further orders.

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Advocate Adnan Paracha moved a petition against Toshakhana items’ auction slated for November 15.

A state counsel had stated that the auction is held in line with the relevant laws. However, the petitioner claimed that the auction was not advertised as only government officials were informed of the auction of precious gifts via letters. These gifts are being given to bureaucrats in violation of the laws, he added.

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He said Toshakhana stores gifts given to a president, a prime minister and ministers by heads of other states and foreign dignitaries as a goodwill gesture but the government auction these valuables without following any legal procedure.

In order to keep the auction process under wraps, the federal authorities write letters to officials instead of inviting the public to participate in the auction via ads, the petitioner lamented.