In his response to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the Toshakhana reference, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan admitted he had sold four state gifts he had received during his tenure as Prime Minister of Pakistan, including watches and cufflinks.
According to Khan’s submission, he paid Rs. 21.56 million to the Toshakhana for the gifts before selling them for Rs. 58 million. Between July 2018 and June 2019, he said, he received 31 gifts and paid for 4 of them, as the assessed value of the remainder was Rs. 30,000, which rules allowed him to retain without payment. From July 2019 to June 2020, he received nine gifts, paying Rs. 1.71 million for three of them, which he claimed he had “gifted” to some undisclosed individuals. Among the purchased gifts was a jewelry set containing a gold and diamond locket, a pair of earrings, and a diamond ring, which the ousted prime minister paid Rs. 544,000 for.
From July 2020 to June 2021, Khan received 12 gifts and paid Rs. 12.9 million for five of them. Finally, from July 2021 to June 2022, he received six gifts and paid Rs. 3.1 million for two of them.
Overall, per the submission, Khan and members of his government received 329 gifts during his tenure as prime minister, of which 58 were presented to him and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, between Aug. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2021. He claimed only 14 of these were valued at more than Rs. 30,000, for which he paid their assessed value.
The submission also addressed allegations of Khan not declaring the proceeds of the gifts he sold, saying four gifts were sold during the 2018-19 financial year and the respondent did not have them by June 30, 2019. “Therefore, those were not mentioned by name in the statement of assets filed on Dec. 31, 2019. However, the sale amount was received in Bank Alfalah account and that amount was duly mentioned,” it said, adding the amount paid by Khan for the gifts was declared in his tax return for 2019.
During proceedings, the PTI chief’s counsel, barrister Ali Zafar, urged the ECP to quash the reference against his client on the basis of it being “misleading” and based on “mala fide intentions and political motives.” Claiming the reference sent by the National Assembly speaker was a misuse of power and the Constitution, he said it sought Khan’s disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) even though the Speaker had earlier said it would be made under Article 63(2).
Maintaining the ECP could not hear the case under Article 62(1)(f) in proceedings of Article 63, he said Article 62(1)(f) could only be applied by a court. The ECP informed the counsel he was free to challenge the jurisdiction of the electoral watchdog through a separate application.
Last month, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf sent a reference to the ECP seeking Imran Khan’s disqualification in light of the Toshakhana case, maintaining he did not disclose the details of gifts he received from foreign dignitaries or the amount received from their sale.