Guwahati News Desk: The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has been accused of selling the gifts he received from the other country heads.
As per the sources, Pakistan’s opposition parties on Wednesday accused PM Imran Khan of selling gifts he received from other countries’ heads.
From the opposition alliance, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), President Maulana Fazlur Rehman said there are reports that prime minister Khan has sold a precious watch he received from a prince. He added, “This is shameful.”
In addition, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab president Rana Sanaullah told a press conference on Wednesday that Pakistan was defamed because of the alleged selling of the gifts received by the premier from the heads of the states of other countries.
However, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication, Dr. Shahbaz Gill, had earlier stated that the government was “maintaining secrecy” over details of gifts received by Prime Minister Khan from other heads of states, because releasing their lists and “comparing them with those of other countries is considered inappropriate, especially by Islamic countries with whom Pakistan enjoys brotherly relations”.
He also informed by saying, “Usually PM Imran Khan deposits such gifts to the Toshakhana, however, if he desires to retain them with him, he has to pay an amount for it.”
Regarding the gifts, they are routinely exchanged between heads of states or officers holding constitutional positions during a state visit. According to the gift depository (Toshakhana) rules, these gifts remain the property of the state unless sold at an open auction. Rules allow officials to retain gifts with a market value of less than Rs. 10,000 without paying anything.
Moreover, just last month itself, the Pakistan government refused to make public details of gifts given to the prime minister by foreign heads of states, asserting that the disclosure could easily damage the country’s national interest and its relationships with other states.
