Pakistan

Fresh tranche of Toshakhana record: 2,916 gifts worth Rs210m retained from 1990-2001

Record released on LHC orders; AGP to launch special audit of Toshakhana gifts

Zahid Gishkori | Samaa Web Desk Mar 22, 2023

<p>Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif, Farooq Leghari and Gen (retd) Ziaul Haq. Artwork by SAMAA Digital/Faizan Ali</p> — Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif, Farooq Leghari and Gen (retd) Ziaul Haq. Artwork by SAMAA Digital/Faizan Ali

A total of 2,916 gifts worth Rs210 million from the Toshakhana were given to 816 important personalities from 1990 to 2001.

As per the documents available with SAMAA TV Investigation Unit about the gifts received from the Toshakhana, all the dignitaries retained gifts after paying 10% of their total value.

Also Read: LHC orders govt to publicize Toshakhana records from 1990 to 2001

Benazir Bhutto receives most gifts

Slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto received the most, 589, gifts from the state repository during her stint as the premier. The total value of these gifts was estimated at Rs2.1 million.

Bhutto also retained 178 gifts whose worth was Rs250,000.

Rulers in 1980s, 90s

Former dictator General Ziaul Haq received 176 gifts worth Rs1.3 million from 1978 to 1987. Former prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo received 289 gifts from 1985 to 1988.

Former president Ghulam Ishaq Khan received 88 gifts and paid only Rs670,000 to retain them all.

Nawaz Sharif

PML-N supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif retained 120 gifts from the Toshakahana, paid Rs1.4 million and kept 75 of them.

Former president Farooq Leghari received 110 gifts and paid Rs2.8 million to keep all of those. Former president Rafique Tarar retained 70 gifts against Rs1.2 million.

Must Read: Cabinet Division releases Toshakhana gifts record of last 21 years

PPP senior leader and former interior minister Naseerullah Babar took 17 gifts from the state repository.

PPP leader and senior lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan received five gifts, while former minister Sahibzada Yaqub Khan took 21 gifts, as per the cabinet division documents.

Former minister and National Assembly speaker Fakhar Imam received 15 gifts from the Toshakhana.

PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain received 18 gifts, while former Sindh chief minister Ghous Ali Shah retained five gifts. As per the official documents, former federal ministers Gohar Ayub and Asif Ahmed Ali retained 54 gifts each.

AGP launches special audit

The auditor general of Pakistan (AGP), meanwhile, launched a special audit of the Toshakhana.

Sources said the AGP Special Audit Team is collecting records from the Cabinet Division.

In the first phase, the record of 10 years has been sought from the cabinet division. The team will conduct a forensic audit of all the gifts received by key persons, and all the gifts received will be audited.