The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the authorities to release details of the gifts former prime minister Imran Khan received from various countries since August 2018. IHC judge Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb directed Deputy Attorney General Arshad Kayani to implement Pakistan Information Commission's (PIC) order in this regard.
The orders were issued by the judge during hearing of two petitions on the issue, one by a citizen who moved the court seeking to implement the PIC order, while another complaint by the Cabinet Division that challenged the order.
Last year, an order issued by the PIC made it mandatory for the cabinet division to "provide the requested information about the gifts received by Prime Minister Imran Khan from foreign head of states, head of governments and other foreign dignitaries … description/specification of each gift, information about the gifts retained by the PM and the Rules under which gifts thus received are retained by him".
However, the cabinet division filed an appeal against the PIC decision in the IHC, saying that it was illegal. The then government had maintained that releasing such information would undermine Pakistan's ties with other countries.
The orders were issued by the judge during hearing of two petitions on the issue, one by a citizen who moved the court seeking to implement the PIC order, while another complaint by the Cabinet Division that challenged the order.
Last year, an order issued by the PIC made it mandatory for the cabinet division to "provide the requested information about the gifts received by Prime Minister Imran Khan from foreign head of states, head of governments and other foreign dignitaries … description/specification of each gift, information about the gifts retained by the PM and the Rules under which gifts thus received are retained by him".
However, the cabinet division filed an appeal against the PIC decision in the IHC, saying that it was illegal. The then government had maintained that releasing such information would undermine Pakistan's ties with other countries.