Gifts received by PM Imran Khan during foreign tours 'deposited' to Toshakhana   

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to PM on Political Affairs Shahbaz Gill Monday said that gifts received by Prime Minister Imran Khan during foreign visits are deposited to Toshakhana, ARY NEWS reported.   

While responding to a debate on social media regarding secrecy maintained in the gifts received by the premier during official tours, Shahbaz Gill said that whenever a country presents a gift, it is neither advertised nor compared with any other country.

Such comparison is considered inappropriate especially by Islamic countries with whom we enjoy a brotherly relation, he said in a message from his Twitter handle.

The SAPM said that normally Prime Minister Imran Khan deposits such gifts to the Toshakhana, however, if he desires to retain them with him, he had to pay an amount for it.

“During previous tenures, a 15 percent amount is paid for such gifts however, during PTI government, 50 percent price of the gift is deposited to the treasury,” he said.

Shahbaz Gill further took a jibe at previous leaders saying that gifts are not disappeared during their tenure.

Read More: TOSHAKHANA REFERENCE: COURT ORDERS FORFEITING PROPERTIES OF NAWAZ SHARIF

It is pertinent to mention here that cases are pending in the Pakistan courts against former prime ministers and a president including Asif Ali Zardari, Nawaz Sharif and Yusuf Raza Gilani regarding gifts received by them during official tours.

Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif, former president Asif Ali Zardari and former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani are named in a reference for allegedly obtaining luxury vehicles from the treasury by paying 15 percent of the actual price.