Pakistan government on Sunday revealed details regarding foreign gifts retained by public office holders, including presidents, prime ministers, cabinet members, politicians, bureaucrats, retired generals, judges and journalists from 2002 to 2022. The details regarding Toshakhana were released on the Cabinet Division’s website, Dawn reported.
Prominent leaders who benefited from the Toshakhana gifts included Pakistani President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, former prime minister Imran Khan, ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, ex-president Asif Ali Zardari, late military dictator Pervez Musharraf, former premier Shaukat Aziz, ex-PM Yousuf Raza Gilani, ex-PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, ex-PM Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and others. According to the documents, most of the gifts were retained by the office holders free of cost except for new ones. Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif received one bulletproof vehicle each during their visits and retained them after paying some money to the Toshakhana, as per the Dawn report.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and his wife received five precious wristwatches, ornaments and other items. He received five precious wristwatches, including a Graff watch worth PKR 3.8 million. He retained these gifts in October 2018 after making a payment of PKR 0.754 million, as per the news report.
In September 2018, Imran Khan retained a Graff wristwatch worth PKR 85 million, a pair of cufflinks worth PKR 5.6 million, a pen worth PKR 1.5 million and a ring worth PKR 8.75 million after paying PKR 20 million for these items.
Imran Khan received a rolex watch worth PKR 1.5 million and retained it after paying an amount of PKR 294,000 for it. In 2018, he retained another Rolex wristwatch worth PKR 900,000 after paying a sum of PKR 338,600 for the watch and some other items, as per the Dawn report.
In October 2019, the former Pakistan PM Imran Khan retained a boxed watch, assessed at PKR 1.9 million after paying PKR 935,000. In September 2020, he kept another Rolex watch, assessed at PKR 4.4 million after paying a sum of PKR 2.4 million for the watch and a number of other gifts.
In the same month, Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi kept a necklace worth PKR 10 million, a bracelet worth PKR 2.4 million, a ring worth PKR 2.8 million, and a pair of earrings worth PKR 1.85m after paying an amount of PKR 9 million for these gifts.
Meanwhile, Pervez Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz retained hundreds of foreign gifts without paying a penny. In return for the gifts received from foreign dignitaries, these public officeholders gave away gifts worth millions of rupees to the foreign delegates, according to the Dawn report.
According to the details, Asif Ali Zardari retained one BMW 760 Li white (security version) on Jan 26, 2009. The value of the car was fixed at Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 27.3 million and the former president retained it after paying over PKR 4 million. In March 2011, he retained a wristwatch worth PKR 1 million after making a payment of PKR 158,250 for the watch and some other items.
In June 2011, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari retained a wristwatch worth PKR 1.25 million after paying PKR 189,219 for the watch and some other items. In Oct 2011, he retained a Cartier wristwatch worth PKR 1 million after paying a sum of PKR 321,000 for the watch and a gun.
According to the details, Nawaz Sharif received a Mercedes Benz car on April 20, 2008, which was worth PKR 4.25 million and retained it after paying a sum of PKR 0.636 million, as per the Dawn report.
Pakistan President Arif Alvi’s wife, Samina Alvi, retained a necklace worth PKR 1.19 million in October 2019 after paying PKR 865,000 for it and other items in the jewellery box. Alvi retained a Rolex wristwatch worth Rs2.5m in February 2022 after paying a sum of PKR 1.2 million.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Rashid retained dozens of gifts, including two gold coins after paying PKR 3,420. In 2005, Khurshid M Qasuri received several gifts and retained these items free of cost. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf retained a Graff wristwatch assessed at PKR 890,000 and retained it after paying a sum of PKR 218,000 for it and other items.