Ajit Karn
Islamabad: Sunday, the Pakistani government disclosed information regarding foreign gifts retained by public office holders from 2002 to 2022, including presidents, prime ministers, cabinet members, politicians, administrators, retired generals, judges, and journalists. The information regarding Toshakhana was published on the website of the Cabinet Division.
Pakistani President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Former President Asif Ali Zardari, Late Military Dictator Pervez Musharraf, Former Premier Shaukat Aziz, Former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Former Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jam
According to the documents, with the exception of new gifts, office holders retained the majority of gifts at no expense. According to a report from Dawn, both Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif received a fortified vehicle during their visits and retained them after paying a fee to the Toshakhana.
Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan and his wife received five valuable wristwatches, jewellery, and other articles. He received five valuable wristwatches, one of which was a Graff watch valued at PKR 3.8 million. According to the news report, he retained these presents in October 2018 after making a payment of PKR 0.754.
Imran Khan retained in September 2018 a Graff wristwatch valued at PKR 85 million, a pair of cufflinks valued at PKR 5.6 million, a pen valued at PKR 1.5 million, and a ring valued at PKR 8.75 million for which he paid PKR 20 million.
Imran Khan received a Rolex watch valued at PKR 1.5 million and kept it after purchasing it for PKR 294,000. According to the Dawn report, he retained another Rolex wristwatch worth PKR 900,000 in 2018 after paying PKR 338,600 for the watch and other items.
In October of 2019, former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan retained a watch valued at PKR 1,950,000 after paying PKR 935,000. In September 2020, he retained a second Rolex watch valued at PKR 4.4 million, despite having paid PKR 2.4 million for the watch and receiving numerous other gifts.
Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi retained 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 that she purchased for PKR 9 million during the same month.
Pervez Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz, meanwhile, retained hundreds of foreign gifts without payment. According to the Dawn report, in exchange for the gifts received from foreign dignitaries, these public officeholders gave foreign delegates gifts worth millions of rupees.
Details indicate that on January 26, 2009, Asif Ali Zardari retained a white BMW 760 Li (security variant). The car was valued at 27,3 million Pakistani Rupees (PKR), and the former president paid over PKR 4 million to keep it. In March 2011, he retained a timepiece worth 1 million Pakistani Rupees after paying 158,250 Pakistani Rupees for it and other items.
Asif Ali Zardari, the leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), kept a timepiece worth PKR 1.25 million after purchasing it and other items for PKR 189,219 in June 2011. In October of 2011, he kept a Cartier timepiece worth 1 million Pakistani Rupees after paying PKR 321,000 for the watch and a pistol.
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According to the allegation in Dawn, Nawaz Sharif received a Mercedes-Benz automobile worth PKR 4.25 million on April 20, 2008, and retained it after paying PKR 0.636 million.
Samina Alvi, the wife of Pakistan’s president Arif Alvi, retained a necklace worth PKR 1.19 million in October 2019 after purchasing it and other items in the jewellery case for PKR 865,000. In February 2022, Alvi retained a Rolex timepiece worth Rs2.5m after paying a sum of PKR 1.2 million.
After paying PKR 3,420, Sheikh Rashid retained scores of presents, including two gold coins. In 2005, Khurshid M. Qasuri received a number of presents and kept them at no cost. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf retained a Graff chronograph with an estimated value of PKR 890,000 after paying PKR 218,000 for it and other articles.
