The record of Toshakhana from 2002 to 2023, which includes information on foreign gifts received by different former presidents, prime ministers, ministers, and other important figures over the previous 21 years, was made public by the federal government. What are the Toshakhana rules to buy gifts? Are the gifts free? Are all the gifts allowed to be purchased?
The Cabinet Division website has been updated with information from the 466-page Toshakhana document regarding foreign gifts that have been received over the past 21 years. According to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s orders, the record was made public.
past presidents, past prime ministers, ministers, government officials, and retired army commanders are just a few of the people listed in the Toshakhana record as recipients of foreign gifts.
A number of politicians and other government officers got gifts for free or paid as less as 2% of the estimated cost of the gift products.
Some politicians to products that are illegal to be purchased from Toshakhana. Here are the toshakhana rules and costs of the products.
Toshakhana rules purchases:
The monetary limits upto which the gifts can be retained by the recipients areas follows:-
Gifts worth upto 30000:
- Gifts upto a value of Rs. 30,000/-(Rupees thirty thousand only) may be retained free of cost by the recipient.
Gifts worth above 30000:
- 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.
- The recipient must retrieve the gifts after paying the retention fee within four months, or they will become the property of the Toshakhana and will be disposed of as per Toshakhana Rules. Toshakhana’s Head of Account is “1300000- Others (NES)Misc. Receipt of Darbar Presents (Central)”.
- Gifts deposited in the Toshakhana that are suitable for display shall be properly catalogued and exhibited in notable buildings/institutions held by the government or in the official residences of the Head of the State or the Head of the Government. Such articles must be correctly recorded in the Toshakhana register as well as the stock registers of the respective offices/institutions.
Toshakhana gifts auction
Gifts that are unfit to be kept or exhibited must be sold periodically through the Cabinet Division of the Government of Pakistan. These deals must happen at least twice a year. All officials of the Federal Government and the Armed Forces must receive a copy of the inventory of gifts to be sold. The public should be given the opportunity to make sealed bids for any items that the government employees failed to buy in two consecutive auctions.
Antiques and Cars
Antique items and vehicles shall not be allowed to be purchased by the recipients. Antiques shall be placed in the museums or displayed in official building owned by the Government. Vehicles shall be given to the Central Pool of Cars of the Cabinet Division.