Govt makes 21-year record of Toshakhana public

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government has made the 466-page record of Toshakhana (gift depository) from 2002 to 2023 public by uploading it on the official website of the Cabinet Division.

The move was made on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The recipients of the gifts from foreign dignitaries include former presidents, prime ministers, federal ministers and government officials.

According to the record, the names of former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, former prime ministers Shaukat Aziz, Yousuf Raza Gilani, Nawaz Sharif, Raja Parvaiz Ashraf and Imran Khan are included among the recipient.  The Toshakhana records of incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Dr Arif Alvi have also been uploaded.

Apart from the premiers, the record of gifts received by federal ministers, senior officials and civil servants has also been made public.

Most of the gifts of low value were kept by the recipients without payment according to the law.

Until 2022, the law was to retain gifts worth less than Rs10,000 without payment.

Gifts ranging between Rs10,000 and Rs400,000 were allowed to be retained after paying 15% of their value.

Gifts valued over Rs400,000 were allowed to be retained only by the president or the head of government.

Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf

According to the record, the value of the gifts given to former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf in 2004 was revealed to be more than Rs6.5 million.

The price of the watch given to  Musharraf in 2005 was said to be Rs500,000.

The former president received dozens of valuable watches, jewellery boxes, and other gifts, which he had retained after paying the required amount.

His wife, Sehba Musharraf, received a jewellery box valued at over Rs2.6 million in 2003.

She received gifts to the tune of Rs1.65 million on April 6, 2006.

On August 1, 2007, the value of the gifts she received stood at Rs3.4 million.

On April 3, 2007, she received gifts worth over Rs10 million.

On January 31, 2007, Musharraf  received gifts valued at Rs1.4 million.

Shaukat Aziz

In the year 2005, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz received a watch worth Rs850,000 that was auctioned off for Rs355,000.

He had kept several gifts by showing their value to be below Rs10,000.

On September 27, 2007, Aziz received a watch worth Rs1.35 million.

On December 20, 2006, he received gifts worth Rs3.7 million – which he decided to keep.

During 2006, he returned several gifts to the Toshakhana.

On June 2, 2006, Aziz received a watch worth Rs1.35 million.

On January 7, 2007, the former premier received gifts valued at Rs1.8 million.

On February 24, 2010, he received a watch worth Rs1.2 million that he returned to the Toshakhana.

Zafarullah Jamali

Former premier Zafarullah Jamali had a model of the Holy Kaaba he had received as a gift installed at the Prime Minister’s House.

Asif Ali Zardari

On December 2, 2008,  former president Asif Ali Zardari received a watch worth Rs500,000 that he decided to keep.

On January 26, 2009, Zardari received two BMW cars – one costing Rs57.8 million and the other Rs27.3 million. He later received Toyota Lexus costing Rs50 million. He retained the first BMW car and Toyota Lexus after paying a total of Rs16.1 million for them.

He kept the other BMW car, which cost Rs27.3 million, after paying Rs4 million.

In March 2011, he retained a watch valued at Rs1 million after paying Rs158,250 for it. In June 2011, he retained a Corum wristwatch costing Rs1.25 million after paying Rs189,219 for it. He kept another Cartier watch valued at Rs1 million in October 2011 with a payment of Rs321,000 for it and a gun.

Yousuf Raza Gillani

Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s wife, Fauzia Gilani, kept a jewellery set worth Rs2 million after paying Rs326,043 in December 2009.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf

Former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf retained a Graff wristwatch assessed at Rs890,000 in November 2012 after paying Rs218,000.

Nawaz Sharif

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif retained a Mercedes Benz valued at Rs4.2 million in April 2008 after paying Rs636,888. In November 2013, he retained a Rolex wristwatch costing Rs1.18 million after paying Rs243,000.

He kept a Piaget wristwatch valued at Rs1 million in January 2015 after paying Rs240,000.

In January 2016, he retained a Christopher Claret watch costing Rs2 million, a ring valued at Rs19.5 million and a pair of cufflinks valuing at Rs16 million after paying Rs7.6 million for them. His wife Kulsoom Nawaz retained a bracelet worth Rs12.7 million and a necklace with earring valued at Rs41.6 million after paying Rs10.8 million.

In February 2016, Nawaz retained a Dela Cour watch worth Rs3.2 million, a ring valued at Rs8 million and a pair of cufflinks costing Rs5 million after paying Rs3.2 million.

In October 2016, he retained a Rolex watch worth Rs1.2 million and another Rolex watch costing Rs850,000 after paying Rs469,000.

In March 2017, his son, Hussain Nawaz, retained a Rolex watch valued at Rs940,000 after paying Rs186,000. Nawaz retained a diamond necklace valued at Rs1 million after paying Rs207,560.

In May 2017, Nawaz retained a Rolex watch costing Rs4 million after paying Rs808,000.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi retained a Hublot wristwatch worth Rs15 million, a pair of cufflinks costing Rs1.2 million , a pen worth Rs1.5 million, a ring valued at Rs3 million and prayer beads worth Rs1.85 million in October 2017 after paying Rs4.5 million. His wife Sameena Shahid also retained a jewellery set worth Rs99 million after paying Rs19.99 million.

In November 2017, Abbasi retained a Rolex watch boxset valuing Rs23 million after paying Rs4.59 million. In April 2018, he kept a Rolex wristwatch costing Rs25 million after paying Rs5.27 million.

Imran Khan

Former prime minister Imran Khan in September 2018 retained a Graff wristwatch worth Rs85 million, a pair of cufflinks valuing Rs5.6 million, a pen worth Rs1.5 million and a ring costing Rs8.75 million after paying Rs20 million.

In October 2018, he retained a Rolex watch, valued at Rs3.8 million, after paying Rs754,000. He kept another Rolex watch worth Rs1.5 million in the same month after paying Rs294,000. In November 2018, Imran retained another Rolex wristwatch costing Rs900,000 after paying Rs338,600.

In October 2019, he retained a watch valued at Rs1.9 million, after paying Rs935,000.

In September 2020, Imran retained another Rolex watch, valued at Rs4.4 million, after paying Rs2.4 million. In the same month, his wife Bushra Bibi also kept a necklace valued at Rs10 million, a bracelet worth Rs2.4 million, a ring costing Rs2.8 million and a pair of earrings assessed at Rs1.85 million after paying Rs9 million.

Arif Alvi

President Dr Arif Alvi’s wife, Samina Alvi, retained a necklace worth Rs1.19 million in October 2019 after paying Rs865,000.

Alvi himself kept a Rolex watch costing Rs2.5 million in February 2022 after paying Rs1.2 million.