LAHORE (National Times) – The Lahore High Court (LHC) remarked on Thursday 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 LHC 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 and Additional Attorney General Nasar Ahmed represented the government. The government had sent the court a written answer outlining the Toshakhana guidelines and its disclosure policy, about which Mr Ahmed informed the court at the beginning of the hearing. The LHC later postponed the hearing till Feb 7 and directed the government to submit an affidavit along with record of Toshakhana.

Earlier, PTI chairman 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 former prime minister guilty of “corrupt practices” and disqualified him from being a member of parliament. The PTI chief rejected ruling and challenged it in the IHC.

Barrister Ali Zafar, a counsel for Mr Khan, filed the petition arguing that the Lahore High Court (LHC) had already formed a larger bench to hear the identical plea against the verdict of the Election Commission of Pakistan (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 formed a full bench in the case.

However, IHC 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 and announced its hearing along with the main petition on Jan 25.