Islamabad, Pakistan: The 466-page record of the Toshakhana gifts has been uploaded on the website of the Cabinet Division.
Army Generals, politicians, and civil and military bureaucrats are major recipients of these gifts who bought them after a nominal payment to Toshakhana. However, former Prime Minister Imran Khan is one who sold these gifts in the local market. Late Gen Musharaf top the list followed by former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in retaining gifts with throwaway prices.
As many as 94 gifts were retained by wives of important personalities. Gen Musharraf got 119 gifts, Foreign Secretaries 112, secretaries of the Federal government got 392, President Arif Alvi got 152 and former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and his family got over 1120 gifts. However, there is no mention of gifts taken by any Chief of the Pakistan Army while Naval chiefs got 10 gifts and Air Chiefs got only eight gifts. Over 832 wristwatches were taken as gifts.
The move comes days after the federal government apprised the LHC that the records of the Toshakhana gifts since 2002 were being “declassified” and would be uploaded on the internet after final deliberation.
The LHC on January 19 directed the government to submit an affidavit declaring the details of the Toshakhana gifts as “classified”.
The uploaded Toshakhana information from 2002 onwards to date is in compliance with the Cabinet approval contained in its decision dated 22-02-2023. This information is based on Toshakhana’s record as per declaration/deposition by all concerned in accordance with the “Procedure for Acceptance and Disposal of Gifts.
MONETARY LIMITS AS PER PROCEDURE FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS AND THEIR DISPOSAL (13th OCTOBER, 2017): –
The monetary limits upto which the gifts can be retained by the recipients are as follows: –
(i) Gifts upto a value of Rs. 30,000/- (Rupees thirty thousand only) may be retained free of cost by the recipient.
(ii) Gifts valued above Rs. 30,000/- may be allowed to be retained by the recipient on payment of 20% of the value exceeding the basic exemption of
Rs.30,000/-.
(iii) The President / Head of the Government and their families are entitled to retain gift(s) received from foreign dignitaries during visit abroad or their visit to Pakistan, as the case may be on payment of 20% of the assessment value of the gift(s).
However, the gift comprising distinct articles, but gifted in a single transaction could be retained by the recipient subject to the condition that part of an article will not be allowed to be taken. This exemption shall however not be available in case of antiques and gifts of intrinsic historical value.
(iv) For gift of value in excess of Rs.30,000/- received by all Government servants (Civil and Military) as well as categories mentioned in Para 13 of the procedure shall also be entitled to the same principles and policy laid down in Para-6 (iii) for the President and the Head of the Government.
MONETARY LIMITS AS PER PROCEDURE FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS AND THEIR DISPOSAL (18th DECEMBER, 2018): –
The monetary limits upto which the gifts can be retained by the recipients are as follows: –
(i) Gifts upto a value of Rs. 30,000/- (Rupees thirty thousand only) may be retained free of cost by the recipient.
(ii) Gifts valued above Rs.30,000/- may be allowed to be retained by the recipient on payment of 50% of the value exceeding the basic exemption of
Rs.30,000/-. This exemption shall however not be available in case of antiques and gifts of intrinsic historical value. All such gifts shall be properly catalogued and displayed at the prominent buildings owned by the Government. Different gift articles given by a single dignitary to a functionary at one occasion will be treated as single gift for the purpose of valuation.
A cursory look at to record indicates that Generals, Brigadiers, Colonels, Majors and captains, and other military men also got gifts and the majority of such gifts were taken free of cost as mentioned in the list
Some names include:
Maj. General Shafaat Ullah Shah and and Begum Maj. General Shafaat Ullah Shah, Major General Nadeem Taj, Begum Major General, Nadeem Taj, Lt. Col. Muhammad Arshad, Brig. Imran Malik, Sqdn Ldr Waqar, Brig (R) Mansoor Hamid, Brig. Imran Malik, Brig. Azhar, Brig. (r) Mian Khalid, Brig. Tahir Mahmud Malik, Brig. Asif Akhtar, Brig. Irfan Azam, Brig. Waseem Iftikhar
Cheema, Brig. Azhar Mehmood, Brig. Mian Mohammad Halal Hussain, Brig. Muhammad Iftikhar Mansoor, Lt. Col. Baber Mumtaz, Maj. Zafar Iqbal, Maj. Mobeen Umer Farooqi and Col. Salik Nawaz.
The record indicates that 55 gifts were taken by Generals, 142 by brigadiers, 88 by colonels, 20 by majors, and 21 by captains. It may be remembered that the figure mentioned for rank indicates gifts to that rank and in several cases, one General like Gen Musharraf got multiple gifts so the same with all ranks mentioned above. At Brigidier’s level, the most expensive gift was granted to Brig. Waseem Iftikhar
Cheema, Military Secretary to the Prime on 28-11-2017. The Assessed Value of the gift was Rs.1.I million and he retained it with Rs.224,000.
Click here to download the Complete List of Toshakhana Gifts Record from 2002 to 2023
