The government on Sunday released the much-awaited records of Toshakhana gifts received by public office holders from foreign governments and dignitaries since 2002.
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 to the Cabinet Division. The department has been in the news in recent months in light of proceedings against former prime minister Imran Khan for “not sharing details” of Toshakhana gifts.
Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced the government’s plans to make the entire record public. He had also barred the officials from retaining gifts worth more than $300. The following are some of the more salient findings regarding the gifts retained from the Toshakhana by political leaders over the years:
Three-time former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif retained a Mercedes Benz (Rs4.2m) in April 2008 after paying Rs636,888 for it. In November 2913, he retained a Rolex wristwatch (Rs1.18m) after paying a total of Rs243,000 for it and some other items.
