LAHORE: The Jamia Naeemia, a seminary aligned with the Sunni Barelvi school of thought, on Monday issued an edict declaring “purchasing gifts from Toshakhana at reduced prices tantamount to breach of (public) trust”.
Religious scholars from the seminary also sought the intervention of Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial into the matter to help change the law pertaining to retention of foreign gifts.
A joint religious edict (fatwa) by four muftis — Dr Raghab Naeemi, Mufti Imran Hanfi, Mufti Nadeem Qamar and Mufti Arif Hussain — stated that Toshkhana is a public trust and it can only be spent on public welfare.
The scholars also referred to several sayings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) discouraging retention of gifts by government functionaries.
Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2023
