Home Latest News Government Makes Public Toshakhana Record from 2002 Onwards

Government Makes Public Toshakhana Record from 2002 Onwards

Data shows Shaukat Aziz and his family retained over 800 gifts from Toshakhana, spanning his time as finance minister and prime minister

by Staff Report

File photo

The federal government on Sunday made public a record of all individuals who had received gifts through the Toshakhana since 2002, including former prime ministers, presidents, their families and senior government officials.

Issued in compliance with an order of the Lahore High Court (LHC), the 446-page document is now available on the website of the Cabinet Division. It follows the federal government approving the public release of the data, with Defense Minister Khawaja Asif telling media last week that all the details would be uploaded on the website “soon.”

According to the record—which commenced from 2002 because prior data is not readily available—all of Pakistan’s leaders have retained gifts from the Toshakhana, paying a nominal amount when applicable, while depositing certain items that were subsequently auctioned to the public. Among the prominent individuals who retained Toshakhana gifts are President Arif Alvi; Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif; former prime ministers Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif, Yousaf Raza Gilani, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Shaukat Aziz; ex-president Asif Ali Zardari; late military dictator Pervez Musharraf; Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani; Finance Minister Ishaq Dar; Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari; and former ministers Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Khursheed Kasuri, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Jehangir Tarin, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, among others.

Prior to 2020, Toshakhana rules called for all individuals to deposit 20 percent of the assessed value of an item to retain it; after 2020, this was raised to 50 percent. The rules states that any gift that is valued at Rs. 30,000 or less can be retained without any payment, adding that action would be taken against any individuals found concealing or failing to disclose any gift. Gifts that are not retained are subsequently auctioned to the public.

The data issued by the government shows that former prime minister Shaukat Aziz and his family retained 885 gifts, spanning him time as finance minister and then prime minister. This was followed by ex-president Asif Ali Zardari and his family, who retained 194 gifts. President Alvi and his family have, thus far, retained 151 gifts, followed by Musharraf and his family retaining 119. Former prime minister Imran Khan and his family retained 111 gifts during their 4 years in powers, while former premier Nawaz Sharif and his family retained 65. Former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and his family retained 33 gifts, while former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and his family retained 24.

Details of the Toshakhana gifts show that the highest value item retained by ex-premier Aziz was a jewelry set valued at Rs. 3,764,555, for which he paid Rs. 563,184. Zardari, meanwhile, retained a bulletproof BMW valued at Rs. 57,828,705 for which he paid Rs. 16,172,806. Nawaz Sharif retained a jewelry set, gifted to his wife Kulsoom Nawaz, valued at Rs. 54,325,000 for which he paid Rs. 10,863,000. He also retained a Mercedes Benz valued at Rs. 4,255,919 for which he paid Rs. 636,888. According to Toshakhana rules, gifted cars cannot be retained and must be placed at disposal of the Cabinet Division, and both leaders are currently facing a NAB reference over their retention.

The most expensive gift retained by ex-premier Khan was a Graff watch set that included cufflinks, a pen, and a ring, valued at Rs. 100,920,000, for which he paid Rs. 20,178,000.

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