Last night, the federal government has made public the record of gifts received in Toshakhana during 20 years, from which several presidents, prime ministers, minister and senior government officials have benefited. Apart from them, journalists accompanying some heads of state and government and non-governmental personalities have also received gifts.
According to the Toshakhana rules, the government officials and officials are required to deposit the gifts received from abroad in the Toshakhana. However, under the stipulated procedure, they can keep the gifts if they want to keep them.
Under Toshakhana rules, non-officials cannot officially accept any gifts. So if one has received a gift, he is not bound to submit it in the Toshakhana. However, according to Cabinet Division officials, the names of non-officials,
family members of the President and Prime Minister or journalists were officially declared as part of the delegation.
For this reason they received gifts and according to the rules they had to display these gifts not only in the Toshakhana, but if anyone went of them wished to keep the gift, he was allowed to keep it on payment of a fixed amount. According to officials, first families have the right to officially receive gifts and keep them while following the rules.
The families of former presidents and prime ministers are also among the recipients of gifts According to Toshakhana records, wives of many government officials and high officials including General Pervez Musharraf, Shaukat Aziz, Yusuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Nawaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Mamnoon Hussain, Arif Alvi also received gifts from foreign trips.
Begum Pervez Musharraf got 15 while Begum Shaukat Aziz got 40 gifts which she kept. Begum Yusuf Raza Gilani one, Begum Raja Parvez Ashraf one, Begum Nawaz Sharif 12, Begum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Begum Imran Khan got four gifts each.
Begum Mamnoon Hussain received 14 gifts while Begum Arif Alvi received 34 gifts, out of which she deposited two in the Toshakhana, 22 were kept with her and the rest are still in process. Apart from the begum of Yusuf Raza Gilani, sons, daughter, nephew, nephew’s begum, his friend and his friend’s wife also received gifts from Toshakhana.
Begum of Nawaz Sharif, daughter Maryam Nawaz, son Hussain Nawaz, sons and daughter-in-law of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also kept gifts. Sons and daughters of former President Asif Zardari and former President Mamnoon Hussain also received gifts.
Figures taking watches from Toshakhana
About a dozen journalists are among the beneficiaries of the gifts from 2002 to 2022. Apart from journalists, MQM founder Altaf Hussain’s name is also part of the record, who, despite being a non-governmental figure, received some gifts from Toshakhana, but their value was only Rs 8,400. Therefore, he was entitled to keep these gifts.
Which personalities deposited gifts in Toshakhana?
According to the Toshahkhana records, many personalities considered it appropriate to keep valuable gifts with them and deposited some gifts in the Toshahkhana. According to the uploaded website, senior journalist Rauf Klasra deposited a watch worth Rs 120,000 in Toshakhana in 2010. If he wanted, he could pay 22 thousand rupees and keep it.
Who among the judiciary have their names in the Toshakhana records?
Apart from political figures, the names of four judges are also included in the list, including Justice Sheikh Riaz Ahmed, who was acting president in 2002, Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, Justice Retired Javed Iqbal as Chairman of the Abbottabad Commission and Justice Muhammad Bashir Jahangiri as the federal judge. The ombudsman is involved.
According to records, Justice Sheikh Riaz Ahmed received two gifts worth 10,000 in 2002, which he kept with him as per the rules. Justice Muhammad Bashir Jahangiri also received two gifts worth five thousand and kept them as per the rules.
Justice Retired Javed Iqbal received two gifts, one of which he deposited in Toshakhana. The value of which was 10 thousand rupees.
Justice Qazi Faiz Isa received a showpiece worth Rs 330,000 during his foreign visit in 2022, which he declared in the Tosha khana and according to records, it was displayed in the Supreme Court.
