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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that he can confirm that former PM Imran Khan took Rs.140 million worth of gifts from Thoshakhana and sold them in Dubai.
During an informal meeting with journalists, Shehbaz Sharif said that the expensive gifts that former Prime Minister Imran Khan traded for money included diamond jewelry sets, bracelets, and wristwatches.
PM Shehbaz said that he also received a watch once, but deposited it to the Toshakhana, adding that he “does not need to hide anything”.
The premier’s revelation came in response to a question regarding a petition seeking the details of the Toshakhana that had been filed in the Islamabad High Court on which then PM Imran Khan had commented that the details cannot be revealed as per the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
According to the law, whenever a head of state receives a gift from another state or country, they have to give it to the Toshakhana. If they wish to keep the gift, they have to pay an amount equal to its value which is decided through an auction.
These gifts either remain deposited in the Toshakhana or can be auctioned and the money acquired through it is to be deposited into the national treasury.
On the other hand, the former federal minister and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, however, refuted PM Shehbaz Sharif’s statement, saying that the new premier is “throwing dirt on Imran Khan”.
Fawad claimed that Khan bought a watch — that he received from a foreign country — from the government of Pakistan and sold it.
“What is the offense if the prime minister sold the watch he bought from the government?” Fawad asked.
“It doesn’t matter if the watch is worth Rs50 million or 100 million, if it is mine and I sold it, there shouldn’t be any objection.”
He went on to say that he is unable to understand what exactly PM Shehbaz’s allegation is.
