Gifts galore

NAB has summoned former PMs Nawaz Sharif and Yousaf Raza Gilani, and former president Asif Zardari in a reference concerning luxury vehicles and gifts from Toshakhana. These irregularities started when rules were changed and heads of state and other dignitaries were given the option to retain gifts after paying 15 percent of the officially assessed reduced price. Toshakhana is a Persian word for secured treasury where valuables are stored. Gifts exchanged from foreign heads of state as per regulation are deposited with the Toshakhanas. These gifts are paid from the national exchequer of the country. All four former presidents Zia, Farooq Leghari, Musharraf, and Asif Zardari took expensive gifts after paying a nominal retention fee.

PM Shaukat Aziz took 1126 expensive gifts with him on his last flight from Islamabad to London in January 2008, which included necklaces, jewelry boxes, diamonds, gold, watches, carpets, branded handbags etc. Musharraf took 255 gifts out of 260 that were officially declared in the Toshakhana and deposited only five in the Toshakhana, taking the rest for a paltry Rs5.1 million. Gen Zia registered 210 gifts and retained 22 after paying only Rs1.6 million. GIK received 89 gifts and retained 88 after paying Rs67,335 only while BB got 630 gifts but retained only 75 after paying Rs1.4 million. Wasim Sajad, Rafiq Tarar were no exception and neither was Shujaat or Zafarullah Jamali.

Malik Tariq Ali

Lahore