Imran Khan Toshakhana Gifts: In the Toshakhana case, the Election Commission of Pakistan has disqualified former Prime Minister Imran Khan for five years. He is accused of stealing gifts from foreign countries and selling them in the market. The Election Commission said in its decision that a criminal case can also be started against Imran Khan. In such a situation, there is a apprehension that if the crime is proved then Imran Khan will have to go to jail. The ECP has also announced that Imran Khan is no longer a member of parliament.
Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has announced that it will challenge the issue in the Supreme Court. Senior party leaders termed the Election Commission’s decision as politically motivated and said that they would go among the people against the government. At the same time, opposition leaders have targeted the former Prime Minister. On the decision of the Election Commission, ruling PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz said that Imran Khan has now proved to be a certified thief.
Came to power with the slogan of ‘Naya Pakistan’
After the Election Commission, it is important to know why Imran Khan was declared eligible and what were the gifts that Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi had taken for personal use instead of being deposited in Toshakhana. Imran Khan came to power with the slogan ‘Naya Pakistan’. Throughout his political career, he leveled corruption charges against Sharif and the Zardari family. Even after snatching the Prime Minister’s chair, he called Shahbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari thieves, boot polishers.
latest video
Shehbaz Sharif also alleged
Now the election has proved that Imran Khan has misused gifts during his tenure. Whenever the Imran Khan government was asked a question about the gifts he received from abroad, the court refused to give information by linking it to national security. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had also claimed that Imran Khan had committed corruption during his tenure. He had said soon after becoming the Prime Minister that Imran Khan, as Prime Minister, earns money by selling gifts received from abroad.
There is an allegation about these gifts
According to reports, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi had received 112 gifts worth Rs 14.2 crore from the treasury (Toshakhana) of the Government of Pakistan by paying just Rs 4 crore. This includes gifts to Imran Khan from different countries of the world including seven Rolex watches, other expensive watches, iPhones, gold and diamond jewellery, expensive pens, gold cuff links, rings, dinner sets worth lakhs of rupees and perfumes. Imran Khan kept these gifts with him instead of depositing them in the government toshakhana.
The most expensive gift in this was a golden Rolex watch. The Government of Pakistan had estimated its value at Rs 8 crore 50 lakh. This watch was given to Imran Khan by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud on 18 September 2018. Imran Khan had deposited only 1 crore 70 lakh rupees in Pakistani Toshakhan to take this watch. It is the most expensive foreign gift ever given to a Pakistani head of state.
AK-47 of gold also kept with you
The Saudi Crown Prince has also presented a gold plated Kalashnikov (AK-47) to Imran Khan. This AK-47 was given to Imran Khan by Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, who visited Pakistan in January 2019. Nothing found about this rifle. According to the records of the Pakistani government, there is no entry of this rifle in Toshakhana.
In such a situation, this rifle worth crores of rupees was kept by Imran Khan for his personal use. Many pictures of this rifle have also become viral on social media. In March 2022, it was reported that Imran Khan had hidden the information about these gifts from the tax officials while he was the Prime Minister. After hiding the information of gold watches received from Saudi for three years, Imran Khan made it public in the tax return of 2020-21.
What are the rules regarding gifts?
In Pakistan, no head of state, politician or official of public office can keep a gift of more than Rs 10,000 with him. According to the Government Gift Depository Rules of Pakistan, it is mandatory to deposit foreign gifts in the Government Toshakhana. From there the gifts are placed in an open auction. Till then that gift remains the property of the country. If a leader has to keep a gift worth more than 10000, then there is a rule to deposit the estimated value in Toshakhana. Taking advantage of these rules, Imran Khan had kept gifts of high value by paying less money.
read this also-
Pakistan: Imran Khan In a setback, the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualifies the former PM