Highlights
- Pakistan's former PM Imran Khan accused of illegally selling out state gifts while in power.
- Khan received expensive gifts including jewellery, graff wristwatch, cuff links, expensive pen, etc.
- Khan has been barred by the Election Commission from holding public office for five years.
Imran Khan 'toshakhana' case: Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan was barred by the Election Commission from holding public office for five years in the 'toshakhana' case. Imran Khan was accused of illegally selling out state gifts and concealing assets while in power.
Here are details of gifts Imran Khan received and sold while in power
According to reports, the cricketer-turned-politician got 31 presents between July 2018 and June 2019 but only paid for four of them because, under the guidelines, gift with a value of less than Rs 30,000 can be kept without any payment.
Further, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Khan also received as many as nine presents between July 2019 and June 2020 and paid Rs 1.71 million for three of them. He also claimed that he gifted these presents to some unknown people.
One of the gifts was a package containing a diamond ring, a pair of gold and diamond earrings, and a locket. He reportedly deposited Rs 0.544 million to get this jewellery.
Khan is also said to have received 12 gifts between July 2020 and June 2021 and paid Rs 12.90 million for five of them. Meanwhile, between July 2021 and June 2022, he reportedly received at least six gifts and paid Rs 3.10 million for two of them.
According to the PTI Chairman, several functionaries got a total of 329 presents during his tenure. Out of these, at least 58 gifts were presented to Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi from August 2018, to December 2021.
These gifts included vases, works of art, lockets, and ornamental items. Only 14 of these gifts, totaling more than Rs 30,000, were purchased by him by paying money in accordance with standard protocol.
In a response to the Election Commission in the Toshakhana case against him on September 7, Khan had admitted selling at least four gifts he had received while serving as Pakistan's prime minister.
He also claimed that after paying Rs 21.56 million for the presents from the state treasury, the sale of the gifts brought in roughly Rs 58 million. According to him, these gifts included a graff wristwatch, a pair of cuff links, an expensive pen, a ring, and at least four Rolex watches.
According to media reports, the move is expected to further worsen the nation's ongoing political unrest. Speaking to media persons, the PTI leader and former minister Fawad Chaudhry denounced the move taken by the Election Commission. The move by the Election Commission comes only days before Khan was expected to announce his much-anticipated march on Islamabad to compel prime minister Shahbaz Sharif-led incumbent government to call for early elections.
Meanwhile, members of Khan's PTI party were outraged by the move and urged supporters to take to streets in order to show protest against the commission's decision.
Also Read: Imran Khan, former Pakistan PM, disqualified by election commission for 5 yrs in 'toshakhana' case
