The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) has issued a report detailing its assessment of the recently-concluded general election, expressing deep concerns over a decline in fairness scores compared to previous election cycles.
The government on Thursday recorded its apprehensions before the Lahore High Court (LHC) regarding Toshakhana gifts, saying the public disclosure of such articles could cause “unnecessary media hype, which might be potentially damaging to the interests of Pakistan in the conduct of international relations”. The concern was raised by the government in its report submitted before the single-judge bench during the hearing of a petition seeking to make records of Toshakhana gifts public. The petition was filed by a private citizen Munir Ahmad through advocate Azhar Siddique in December 2022. Established in 1974, the Toshakhana is a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division and stores precious gifts given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats, and officials by heads of other governments and states and foreign dignitaries. According to Toshakhana rules, gifts/presents and other such materials received by persons to whom these rules apply shall be reported