ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet, under the new Toshakhana Policy, has banned government officials including the president, prime minister and cabinet members from retaining presents valued over $300 given by foreign dignitaries, it emerged on Tuesday.
The new ‘Toshakhana Procedure for the Acceptance and Disposal of Gifts, 2023’, dated March 8, includes a fresh set of guidelines to be adhered by ministries and divisions.
The government released the guidelines alongside the Toshakhana records of 2002 onwards.
Toshakhana
Established in 1974, the Toshakhana comes under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division. It stores precious presents given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats, and officials by heads of other governments and states and foreign dignitaries.
According to Toshakhana rules, presents and other such materials received by persons to whom these rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division.
The department has been part of news in recent months in light of proceedings against former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan for “not sharing details” of Toshakhana gifts.
The most significant change in the rules involves gifts valued above $300, which straight away become the state’s property to be disposed of according to Toshakhana rules.
The president, prime minister, cabinet members, judges, and civil and military officers will be banned from retaining gifts worth more than $300, while they are also barred from receiving cash as gifts from domestic and foreign dignitaries, local media reported citing sources. Upon receiving forced cash gifts, they are instructed to “immediately deposit” the entire amount to the national treasury, sources said, adding that no person shall be authorised to purchase vehicles and valuable antiques received as gifts.
As per the new policy, gifted vehicles will be properly catalogued and displayed in the central pool of cars of the Cabinet Division, while valuable antiques will be put to display at official places owned by the government, the sources said. Meanwhile, the public will also be eligible to buy gifts worth more than $300 through an open auction, according to the policy.
