Connect with us

Politics

Lower-ranking security officials set example by depositing gifts in Toshakhana

Published

on

  • Security guards were gifted wristwatches in 2019.
  • Most govt officials retained expensive, valuable gifts, record shows. 
  • 97% of gifts in Gen (retd) Parvez Musharraf’s tenure were retained. 

ISLAMABAD: Two lower-rank security officials — a constable and a sepoy — set an example by depositing their gifts in Toshakhana in 2019 when everyone including the prime minister, president and federal ministers were retaining gifts they received during their foreign tours. 

According to the Toshakhana report released by the Cabinet Division, SSG gunman Sepoy Atiq ur Rehman and Constable Malik Qasim Mehmood were gifted wristwatches of Paul Picot in 2019, the assessed value of which was Rs120,000 each, The News reported Tuesday. 

However, both security personnel deposited the gifts in Toshakhana. In December 2019, then-prime minister Imran Khan visited Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

The report has reflected several interesting incidents. One such example is former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi who was gifted a tractor, a motorcycle and a buffalo along with a calf. He declared the gifts but did not deposit those or paid the retention price.

A perusal of the report shows most of the government officials who received valuable and expensive gifts have retained them. Whereas, less valuable gifts have either been deposited in Toshakhana or auctioned by the government. More than 90% of the gifts reflected in the report were retained by the officials who received them during their foreign visits.

During former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s regime, 97% of gifts received by government officials including himself, then-prime minister, ministers, and military officials were retained. From 2002 to 2008, a total of 2,249 gifts were declared with Toshakhana out of which around 70 gifts were auctioned while the rest were retained by the officials.

The report shows that in 2002, a total of 257 gifts were declared with Toshakhana of which around a dozen were auctioned and the remaining gifts were retained by the officials. In 2003, 290 gifts were declared of which around 14 were auctioned and the rest of the gifts were retained.

The report further shows that in 2004, 350 gifts were declared of which only seven were auctioned; 475 gifts were declared in 2005 of which around eight were auctioned and the remaining were retained by government officials. In 2006, 381 gifts were declared of which around 20 were auctioned.

In 2007, a total of 381 gifts were declared of which around six were auctioned whereas the remaining gifts were retained by government officials. In 2008, 115 gifts were declared with Toshakhana of which very few were auctioned.

The top recipient of these gifts from 2002 to 2008 was Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf. Whereas some of the ministers during Musharraf’s regime including Jahangir Khan Tareen, Shaukat Aziz, Umar Ayub deposited most of the gifts in Toshakhana.

Latest News

Salim Haider’s inauguration as Punjab governor will be attended by Bilawal.

Published

on

By

 Punjab governor Sardar Salim Haider Khan, the leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), will take the oath of office today (Tuesday).

The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Governor’s House, according to sources. Chief Justice Sardar Salim Haider of the Lahore High Court (LHC) will administer the oath.

The leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Punjab cabinet members, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and PPP leaders will be present at the oath-taking event.

The ceremony to take the oath of office was originally slated for Sunday, May 5, but it was postponed for two days due to the absence of the current governor, Balighur Rehman. The PPP leaders had been asked by the PML-N to reschedule the event by two days.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Everything is prepared for Nawaz to lead the PML-N once more.

Published

on

By

After finalizing the necessary arrangements, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif is ready to assume leadership of the party.

Monday in the party’s Model Town secretariat, the former three-time prime minister presided over a high-level meeting.

The general council meeting of the PML-N, which is set for May 11, was thoroughly briefed by secretary general Ahsan Iqbal.

Along with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, prominent members of the PML-N, including Rana Sanaullah and Khawaja Saad Rafique, and Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, were also present at the meeting.

Sources state that Kh Saad Rafique, the party’s veteran, will be named secretary general and Nawaz Sharif will be re-elected as PML-N president during the general council meeting.

To elect Nawaz Sharif as PML-N president, a resolution would be put forth during the meeting.

The older Sharif was asked to lead the party once more in a unanimous resolution that the PML-N chapter in Punjab passed a few days prior.

The contentious judiciary judgment that forced Mian Nawaz Sharif to resign as PML-N president. He has been acquitted and the barriers of repression have been removed. Following the resolution’s passing, PML-N Punjab president Rana Sanaullah declared, “The PML-N will advance under his leadership.

It has been stated that Nawaz Sharif was asked to take over as PML-N leader once again.

The former prime minister was compelled to leave the party in 2017, he continued.

Insiders claim that in an effort to stir up more energy inside the party, it was decided to divide the government and organizational offices.
Herhbaz Sharif, the current president, is too busy serving as prime minister to devote much of his attention to the party.

“After taking office again as president, Nawaz Sharif will travel to all four provinces to reorganize the party,” a top PML-N figure stated.

Nationwide, there are plans to replace provincial leaders as well.

All four provinces, including Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, will send representatives to the general council meeting, along with members of the central executive committee, senators, and MNAs.

Continue Reading

Latest News

President Zardari lists the government’s key priority as Balochistan’s prosperity.

Published

on

By

The advancement and prosperity of the province of Balochistan and its people remained a primary priority for the current government, as President Asif Ali Zardari reaffirmed on Monday.

He declared his intention to play their rightful part in maintaining Pakistan’s stability and further resolved to set Balochistan on the path of wealth and advancement.

The president was speaking during a luncheon held in his honor at the invitation of Balochistan’s Chief Minister, Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti, according to a press statement from the President Secretariat Press Wing.
Because of its extensive coastal strip and natural wealth, the president claimed that Balochistan was special.

The globe was progressing quickly, he said, emphasizing the need for new technology to be used to explore natural riches in the provinces.

In order for the province to generate enough yield, he stated that they will work to make the uncultivated areas into cultivable land using efficient irrigation systems.

In his view, the 18th Amendment, which was passed during their previous administration and was intended to protect provincial rights and advance national development, had benefited all of the provinces.

Although the province was endowed with rich supplies of gas and oil, President Zardari noted that they had not kept up with the most recent developments in this industry and that there was still time to use these natural resources to suit the nation’s economic needs.

Speaking of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), he stated that it was helping low-income and worthy families and made hints about the possibility of expanding similar programs.

In particular, he stated that he would like to strive toward the advancement and prosperity of the people of Balochistan province and the nation as a whole.

In addition, he emphasized the importance of political discourse in resolving any disputes and pledged the province government full assistance in order to facilitate chances for their development.

Continue Reading

Trending