PM Shehbaz accuses Imran Khan of selling Toshakhana gifts

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday accused PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan of selling gifts received during foreign visits, ARY News reported.

Prime Minister Sharif made these claims during a meeting with senior journalists at PM House on Friday.

“I can confirm you that Imran Khan took gifts worth Rs140 million from Toshakhana and sold them in Dubai,” he said, adding that valuable state gifts include diamond jewellery, bracelets and watches.

As per the country’s law, any gift received from dignitaries of a foreign state must be put in the state depository or the Toshakhana.

The prime minister also termed reports regarding closure of Ehsaas program, panagahs [shelter homes] and as baseless. “Govt will not close panagahs,” he added.

In September 2021, former SAPM Shahbaz Gill refuted allegations and said that gifts received by Prime Minister Imran Khan during foreign visits had been deposited to Toshakhana.

He was responding to a debate on social media regarding secrecy maintained in the gifts received by the then premier during official tours.

ASIF ALI ZARDARI GETS RELIEF IN TOSHAKHANA REFERENCE

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.