Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday accused PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan of selling gifts received during foreign visits, a source reported. Prime Minister Sharif made these claims during a meeting with senior journalists at PM House on Friday.
“I can confirm you that Imran Khan took gifts worth Rs140 million from Toshakhana and sold them in Dubai,” he said, adding that valuable state gifts include diamond jewellery, bracelets and watches.
As per the country’s law, any gift received from dignitaries of a foreign state must be put in the state depository or the Toshakhana. The prime minister also termed reports regarding closure of Ehsaas program, panagahs [shelter homes] and as baseless. “Govt will not close panagahs,” he added. PM Shahbaz said that he also got a watch once which he had deposited in the Toshakhana. “I don’t need to hide anything,” he added.
It is pertinent to mention that the PTI government had been reluctant to share details about gifts retained from Toshakhana.
Pakistan Muslim League-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb also accused former prime minister Imran Khan of selling gifts worth millions of rupees received from foreign governments.
“He [Imran Khan] bought cufflinks, ring and watch for Rs20 million from Toshakhana (gift depository) and sold it for Rs180 million in the market,” said the ruling party spokesperson while speaking to the media in Islamabad.
“Gold-plated Kalashankof is also missing and it will be recovered from Bani Gala [residence of Imran].”
Marriyum said the former PTI-led government under the guise of national security refused to reveal the details of Toshakhana because “they sold gifts” received from the foreign dignitaries in the market.
The previous government on several occasions refused to provide details of foreign gifts received by Imran Khan and approached the Islamabad High Court to stop Pakistan Information Commission from making the details of the gifts public. The government maintained that the disclosure of any information related to Toshakhana would jeopardise the international ties.
