Imran, wife paid Rs38m to retain foreign gifts worth Rs142m, reveal documents

Former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi retained all the 112 valuables worth Rs142.02 million gifted by different countries, either for free or purchased at a throwaway price of Rs38 million.

The official documents, available with APP, revealed that Imran and his wife retained 52 free gifts worth Rs800,200 "without paying a single penny".

The list of Toshakhana gifts received by ex-PM Imran between August 2018 and December 2021 remained a secret during his tenure, making the situation scandalous to reports of hiding the information from the tax authorities.

Read more: Toshakhana gifts be taken back, observes IHC

Toshakhana is a department under the Cabinet Division which maintains the record of the precious gifts given to rulers, parliamentarians, and officials by heads of other governments, states, and foreign dignitaries as a goodwill gesture.

The then government had adopted the stance that the disclosure of any information related to Toshakhana would jeopardise international ties.

The list of gifts showed that the other valuables were kept by the couple after paying a meagre amount than the assessed value.

From seven luxurious Rolex and other expensive watches to gold and diamond jewellery including multiple necklaces, bracelets, rings, multiple diamond chains, an expensive pen and cufflinks worth millions, dinner sets, perfumes, and Oud fragrance, the couple retained everything that different states of the world were gifting to Pakistan.

The most precious gift was presented by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman during the very first visit of Imran to the kingdom. However, to the irony, the Rs85 million Graff wristwatch was retained by the former prime minister by paying only Rs20 million.

Below is the detail of the gifts received and retained by Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, their value, and the amount paid by the former premier to retain the presents:

Read IHC hints at keeping foreign gifts in museum

One Watch Rolex Gent’s Rs900,000; a Rolex watch ladies Rs400,000; an IPhone Rs210,000; two gent's suites Rs30,000; one perfume Dolce&Gabba Rs35,000; two perfumes Bvlgari Rs30,000 and Rs26,000; One perfume Rubi Rs40,000; one wallet Samsonite Rs6,000; one wallet Aigner ladies Rs18,000; one ball pen Mont Blanc Rs28,000 received on 9-11-2018. All these items were retained against a payment of Rs338,600.

One watch (Graff) valued at Rs85,000,000; Pair of cuff links Rs5.67 million; one pen Rs1.5 million; one Ring Rs8.75 million received on 18-09-2018. For these, Imran Khan paid Rs20.278 million to retain these items.

One watch Rolex valued at Rs3.8 million was retained after paying Rs754,000 and another Rolex watch worth Rs1.5 million received on 1-10-2018 was retained after depositing Rs294,000 in the national kitty.

Two kilogramme Oud Rs200,000, two bottles of Attar Rs180,000; one Tasbeeh (Mouward) Rs130,000 received on 19-06-2019. Imran Khan paid Rs240,000 to retain these items.

One watch worth Rs1,900,000 was received on 26-12-2019 and was retained against the payment of Rs935,000.

A Rolex watch Rs 4,408,000; pair of cuff links Rs255,000; one ring Rs230,000; unstitched cloth Rs7,000; one necklace Rs10,970,000; one bracelet Rs2,430,000; one ring Rs2,836,000 and a pair of ear rings Rs1,856,000 were received by Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi on 29-09-2020 and retained against a payment of Rs9.031 million.

One locket with chain (gold and diamond) Rs269,350; one pair of ear tops (gold and diamond) Rs111,800; two rings gold and diamond Rs149,400 and Rs272,350 each; two bracelets gold Rs235,500. These gifts were presented to the prime minister’s wife on 11-10-2019. A sum of Rs544,000 was deposited in the government account against these items.

Noritake Dinner set (26 pieces) Rs110,000 received on 4-3-21 was retained after paying Rs40,000.

Another Noritake dinner set (34 pieces) Rs100,000 and a pair of cufflinks Rs20,000 were received on 4-3-2021 and were retained after paying a sum of Rs45,000.

Bushra Bibi on 21-05-2021 also received a necklace Rs1,359,000; earrings Rs275,000; ring Rs225,000; bracelet Rs4,000,000. She retained all this against Rs2,914,500.

Olive oil and coffee worth Rs104,000 and Ajwa date worth Rs17,000 were received on 15-11-2021 and were retained for Rs193,000.

One decoration piece Rs15,000 and eight books received on 14-11-2018; one wall hanging Rs15,000; two decoration pieces Rs25,000 and Rs30,000 each; one frame Rs20,000 and one flower vase Rs30,000 received on 9-1-2019; one carpet Rs20,000 received on 16-01-2019; one frame received on 15-03-2019; table watch, card holder and paper weight Rs3500 received on 11-04-2019; a gown, oud and two small perfumes Rs30,000 received on 17-04-2019; one carpet Rs30,000, one calligraphy Rs5,000 received on 26-04-2019; one flower vase Rs30,000, one carpet Rs30,000; wall hanging Rs30,000 and a model of truck received on 2-5-2019; one paper wall hanging Rs5,000 received on 16-06-2019;

One decoration piece of Rs23,000 received on 28-06-2019; two decoration pieces worth Rs30,000 were received on 7-10-2019; two boxes of dates, two Jai-e-Nimaz, two Tasbeeh, six bottles of honey worth Rs29,700 were received, and retained on 14-10-2019; a piece of carpet and a decoration piece worth Rs22,000 received on 18-10-2019; one wool carpet received and retained on 13-12-2019 was valued at Rs28,000; a ladies handbag gifted to Bushra Bibi worth Rs5,000 was retained on 11-02-2020; one carpet Rs3,000 and a wall hanging Rs20,000 were received on 26-10-2020.

Another wall hanging worth Rs15,000 was received on 10-11-2020. A decoration piece of Rs20,000 was received on 4-12-2020; a carpet Rs32,000 received on 18-01-2021 and another carpet Rs22,000 on 22-02-2021; gemstones of Sri Lanka Rs5,000 and a Tasbeeh Rs2,500 was received on 4-3-2021. A chessboard was gifted on 30-07-2021 worth Rs27,000; a model door of Khana Kaaba was Rs20,000.

One Onyx bowl of Rs22,000 and a model of the key of Kaaba Rs6,000 were received on 17-08-2021 and retained. Oud wood Rs250,000; two bottles of oud (oil) (Taif Rose Bridge Rate) Rs36,000; three robes Rs9,000.